Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of wearing face coverings in (a) taxis,(b) buses and (c) trains on the transmission of covid-19.

The decision to make face coverings mandatory on public transport was guided by scientific advice. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advised using cloth face coverings as a precautionary measure in enclosed spaces such as public transport, where social distancing is not possible consistently, creating a risk of close social contact with multiple parties the person does not usually meet, for example, when passing by other passengers.

This advice does not replace or change existing advice on other measures – such as good hand hygiene and social distancing – which remain critically important. Operators should also continue to follow the practical steps we have set out in the operator guidance to ensure their services are Covid-19 secure.

Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles carry fewer people and are typically unlikely to involve passengers from more than one household travelling together, and passengers and drivers do not travel face-to-face. However, we recognise that taxis are confined, close spaces – our advice on face coverings remains that people should wear them in an enclosed space.