Comment - Penny Gaylor: Mask up before getting on buses, trains and ferries

Penny Gaylor.

Weekly column by Kāpiti's Greater Wellington Regional Council representative Penny Gaylor.

Face coverings are still mandatory on all bus, train and ferry services despite dialling back to level 1.

The Government has made it clear people should wear face coverings on public transport, and the regional council and Metlink continue to encourage passengers to follow this advice before getting on our buses, trains and ferries.

These measures are all about helping to keep passengers and drivers safe across the whole Wellington network.

It's worth noting - as people might wonder if they've spotted different approaches - that students on dedicated school services don't have to wear face coverings, but students 12 years and older must wear them if using regular public transport services.

Also, as with passengers, Metlink's frontline staff are required to wear face coverings, unless it is unsafe to do so for medical reasons or it impairs their vision.

So while we're encouraging mask-wearing, we're also trying to encourage people to use our buses, so Metlink is offering a 25 per cent discount for adults who 'Snapper' on buses before 7am from now till May 21.

The Early Bird special is not available for rail, ferry or SuperGold card customers or any other discounted fare.

The trial originally started back in February 2020 but was disrupted due to Covid-19.

Metlink reinstated the three-month trial for the benefit of customers returning to work more frequently, to relieve pressure from high-demand services and to give the trial a chance to run its full course.

Movin'March is fast approaching but there is still time for schools to sign up for the month-long free initiative that encourages students to walk, cycle and scoot to and from school.

Led by Greater Wellington Regional Council and supported by local councils, Movin'March invites schools (Year 0-8) from across the region to get active over the month of March.

Last year more than 37,000 students took part in Movin'March and about 70 walked away with MYRIDE vouchers, Prezzy cards, Warehouse Stationery prizes, and family passes to Zealandia, Wellington Zoo and Staglands.

The regional council already has an epic 127 schools signed up for next month's Movin'March.

Movin'March continues its sustainability theme with the return of their 'planet-friendly' prize packs that, along with the stamping of passports, really motivate families to walk or wheel to school.

This month is all about encouraging children to not only get active, but also to think about why our travel choices are important and how sustainable travel positively affects the environment.

And hopefully our public transport services will be their transport of choice when they leave school.