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Home / New Zealand

Covid 19 coronavirus: Union says drivers will not enforce wearing of masks on buses

Bernard Orsman
By Bernard Orsman
Auckland Reporter·NZ Herald·
25 Aug, 2020 12:45 AM3 mins to read

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Focus Live: No early lift for Auckland level 3 lockdown
Although PM Jacinda Ardern said alert level 3 had played a critical role in finding the outbreak's perimeter Cabinet will reconsider any shift down levels on Monday. Video / Pool ...
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      Although PM Jacinda Ardern said alert level 3 had played a critical role in finding the outbreak's perimeter Cabinet will reconsider any shift down levels on Monday. Video / Pool
      NOW PLAYING • Focus Live: No early lift for Auckland level 3 lockdown
      Although PM Jacinda Ardern said alert level 3 had played a critical role in finding the outbreak's perimeter Cabinet will reconsider any shift down levels on Monday. Video / Pool ...

      A union boss says bus drivers will not enforce the Government's plan to make face masks mandatory on public transport from Monday.

      Auckland Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said wearing face masks on public transport is a good idea - but the job of bus drivers is to drive the bus.

      "The bus driver can't drive the bus and monitor what is happening down the back of the bus," he said.

      "We don't know who is going to enforce it. It is certainly not going to be the driver."

      Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday said the spread of Covid-19 on a bus had pushed the Government to require face masks to be worn at level 2 and above on buses, planes, trains, ferries and taxi services.

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      A spokesman for Health Minister Chris Hipkins said the rules for wearing masks on public transport and the expectations on passengers and transport operators are still being worked through and should be released on Thursday.

      An Auckland Transport spokesman said the Government has indicated the obligation to wear a face mask will be on individual passengers and operators will not assume the role of enforcement officer.

      He said a guidance document being worked on by the Ministry of Transport and the NZ Transport Agency is expected to cover enforcement, as well as face covering types, disposal and availability of masks, and exemptions.

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      Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison. Photo / File
      Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison. Photo / File

      Froggatt said perhaps the operators should go back to having conductors on buses and a floor to ceiling plastic screen behind the driver.

      At present, passengers board and exit Auckland buses through the back door and drivers are taped off from passengers to maintain social distancing

      Auckland Mayor Phil Goff supports the wearing of face masks on public transport, saying it is an effective means to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

      It follows a revelation that two bus passengers tested positive for Covid after taking a number of buses while infectious.

      Discover more

      New Zealand

      Mt Eden bus crash tragedy: Dad on drugs in crash which killed him, baby son

      21 Aug 07:52 AM
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      Covid-19 latest: New cases, supermarkets closed, hunt for bus passengers

      22 Aug 05:00 PM
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      Masks mandatory on public transport from next week

      24 Aug 03:47 AM
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      One of yesterday's eight cases of Covid in the community had contact with a confirmed case on a bus.

      Auckland Transport is actively encouraging people to register their HOP cards. About 83 per cent of regular bus users have a registered card, but about 120,000 have not registered their name and details.

      AT chief executive Shane Ellison said customer research from the first weekend back in level 3 shows 88 per cent of people would support compulsory face masks on public transport.

      Covid-19 in NZ — 18th December
      Active cases
      Confirmed & Probable
      51
      ⬆︎8
      All active cases are imported
      2110
      ⬆︎10
      Total cases
      0
      In Hospital
      0
      In ICU
      2034
      ⬆︎2
      Recovered
      25
      Deaths
      427
      ⬆︎10
      Border cases
      Daily cases020406080
      Last updated: Fri 18th December at 12:17 am
      Go here to see all our Covid-19 data
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