Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has compared the new face coverings rule on public transport to the alcohol ban introduced on Transport for London a decade ago.
“You won’t be able to use public transport unless you are wearing it, so you could be asked to leave and ultimately you could be fined but I don’t think that will be necessary in the vast majority of cases,” he said.
From June 15 it will be compulsory to wear a face mask on public transport in England.
He told BBC Breakfast: “There were all these discussions at the time but in the end most people just want to do the right thing, most people just want to get on top of this disease and here is something small but important that we can do.”
Mr Shapps said wearing a face covering is not as important as washing your hands or social distancing for preventing the spread of Covid-19.
Defending the decision not to impose mandatory face coverings for commuters until June 15, he said: “It is an additional measure, it is marginal, we accept it is marginal and the scientists weren’t in full agreement about it but we think it is worth doing absolutely everything possible.”
He told BBC Breakfast the reason face coverings have not been mandatory so far is because the transport system has only been at 5% capacity.
“I am afraid this is not some panacea, wearing a face covering has been argued about and the scientists have said before and I have commented before that it has been a debatable point because what happens is that as people take those coverings on and off, it can lead to cross infection,” he said.
“I do think on balance it is right to do absolutely everything possible because it removes the doubt and provides some reassurance to passengers as well but it is not some panacea.”
