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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Jason Evans

Face masks now compulsory in Wales on buses, trains, and in taxis

Travelling on public transport will look and feel very different from today as a new law requiring passengers to wear face coverings comes into force.

Anyone aged 11 or over must now wear a mask when using buses, trains, and taxis in an attempt to reduce the spread of coronavirus through coughing or sneezing.

Those who refuse to mask-up could be hit with a £60 fine from police.

The Welsh Government said drivers, guards and other operators of public transport might ask people not to board or use the service if they were not wearing face coverings, though there were exemptions for passengers with some medical conditions.

Economy and transport Minister Ken Skates said: "From today the vast majority of our public transport users in Wales will be required to wear a face covering while travelling on our buses, our trains and in taxis.

"The law has been introduced to help reduce the risk of public transmission of coronavirus and to protect the health of our public transport users.

"We know it may not always be possible to maintain a two-metre physical distance on public transport and the requirement to wear a face covering is in addition to other guidance we have issued to our transport providers in order to encourage safe travel."

The wearing of masks on public transport in England and Scotland was made compulsory last last month.

Today also sees cinemas, museums, and beauty salons in Wales re-opening as lockdown restrictions are eased, while over the weekend campsites were allowed to open - though with strict rules about the use of shared facilities.

Face masks are now a legal requirement in shops in England, but the Welsh Government has stopped short of imposing such a rule here.

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