Carlisle taxi passengers asked to wear face coverings

Taxi passengers in Carlisle are being asked to wear face coverings.

On June 15, it was made compulsory for people in England to wear a covering on public transport, and now Carlisle City Council says it would like taxi drivers and passengers to follow those rules too.

A taxi driver may be entitled to refuse a passenger if they are not wearing a face covering.

Exemptions will be made for very young children, the disabled and those with breathing difficulties.

Council advice for taxi passengers:

You are advised to wear a face covering when using taxis or private hire vehicles. A taxi driver may be entitled to refuse to accept you if you are not wearing a face covering. Exemptions will be made for very young children, the disabled and those with breathing difficulties.
Keep a 2-metre distance from others during your journey, for example at taxi ranks. If you need to be near people you should:
Avoid physical contact.
Try to face away from other people.
Keep the time you spend near other people as short as possible.
Follow the advice of the driver. For example, you may be asked to sit in the back left-hand side if travelling alone.
Check with your taxi or private hire operator before travelling to see if they have put any additional measures in place.
Use contactless payments if possible or find out if you can pay online in advance.
Be aware of the surfaces you touch.
After your journey, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds or sanitise your hands as soon as possible.

Credit: ITV News

The council says it is important that people do not use medical grade PPE masks to ensure these remain available for frontline staff.