COPS have been cracking down on travellers not wearing facemasks at busy stations today as coronavirus cases rise throughout the UK.
Officers were pictured speaking to people on public transport without face coverings – now a requirement.
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People at King's Cross station in London were stopped and given warnings.
Some were also given a mask to wear by officers, while others seems to be arguing with the police.
There are exemptions to the rules, such as children under 11 or people with health conditions that a mask will hinder.
But for everyone else, it has been a “condition of carriage” for face coverings to be worn on public transport since June 15 in a bid to slash the spread.
Anyone found not wearing one who should be can be fined a minimum of £200.
And the government has now ramped up fines for traveling maskless that could cost repeat offenders up to £3,200.
Passengers without a facemask will not be allowed to board or told to get off at the next stop.
British Transport Police will have powers allowing them to issue on-the-spot fines to rule breakers.
Who is exempt?
Official Government guidance exempts the following groups:
- A child under the age of 11
- An employee of the transport operator, when they are working
- A person with breathing difficulties
- Anyone travelling with someone who relies on lip reading
- People with disabilities
- Any other person providing services to the transport operator, under arrangements made with the transport operator
- A constable or police community support officer acting in the course of their duty
- An emergency responder such as a paramedic or fire officer acting in the course of their duty
- An official, for example a border force officer, acting in the course of their duties
- If you are allocated a cabin, berth or other similar accommodation, at any time when you are in that accommodation, either alone, or only with members of your own household or a linked household
- If you are on board public transport but remain in your private vehicle, for example on a car ferry
Masking the mouth and nose reduces the risk of asymptomatic carriers — who are infected but showing no symptoms — from passing on the bug.
It comes as Boris Johnson is set to unveil a three-tier local lockdown code next week, with regions categorised as high, medium or low risk.
The PM's new system plans to tackle high risk areas with rising infections, while allowing lower risk spots to carry on mixing households and going to the pub.
It comes as 10million Brits in the North of England face a looming lockdown on Monday, with pubs and restaurants ordered to shut.
At least 20 million across the UK are under restrictions. Resentment has been brewing over a clear North-South divide between parts of the country with soaring rates, and others with lower numbers.
The number of new cases of coronavirus recorded in the UK in a single day has doubled in just a week.
Another 14,162 Brits were newly-diagnosed with the virus yesterday – while on September 30, 7,108 people tested positive.
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