Public transport passengers in Greater Manchester could be told to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic, the mayor has said.
Andy Burnham says the move could raise confidence levels amongst the travelling public while also getting more people to use the struggling Metrolink.
The combined authority is still awaiting the final details of the government’s plans to provide more funding to run the network, with ‘mothballing’ still a possibility if there is a shortfall.
Social distancing measures currently limit Metrolink passengers to around 20 per tram, he said, but the number of people could rise to 75 per carriage if people wore masks.
No decision on masks has yet been made, but in the absence of clear guidance from the government Mr Burnham wants to know what the public thinks before making it mandatory.
This week the Scottish government put out guidance recommending that people wear cloth face coverings where social distancing is difficult - such as public transport.
Speaking at a weekly briefing on Greater Manchester's response to COVID-19, Mr Burnham said: “We are going to have to work hard to assure people that public transport is safe.
“If experts tell us that social distancing is the only way to go then that is the only way to go but we’ve got a vacuum at the moment.
“Public Health England haven’t given clear advice about how public transport can function going forward.
Mr Burnham added: “I think we need to have the debate with people, do people feel that’s the right way to go? And if so, we need to begin to understand what the implications of doing that are.”
One of the consequences would be being able to get more personal protective equipment (PPE) on a regular basis from Greater Manchester-based manufacturers, said Mr Burnham.
While safety is being prioritised over cost, the mayor admitted that social distancing was leading to a loss of revenue on Metrolink - and these losses could be reduced by the wearing of masks.
It was also suggested that Greater Manchester has the power to mandate face masks on public transport, with Mr Burnham saying: “I think we would be able to set the standards for our own public transport system.
“But we would rather it be clear guidance that comes from a national level.”
