Transport for London confirms Tube mask rule to be dropped from Thursday

Passengers won't have to wear a face mask on Transport for London services from Thursday.

The transport body said it "considered a variety of factors including the shift in the Government’s approach towards living with the virus and decreasing infection rates in London".

The move falls in line with the government's lifting of all coronavirus rules."Following the Government's decision to lift coronavirus restrictions and the falling infection rates in London, we will be removing the condition of carriage that requires customers to wear face coverings from 24 February," said Lilli Matson, Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer for TfL.

"All customers should be assured that the public transport network is as safe as other similar settings, and that independent testing has found no trace of coronavirus on our network since September 2020," she added.

Earlier this week mayor Sadiq Khan urged Londoners to be considerate to other passengers and remember the health benefits of wearing a face covering.

Mr Khan said: "We know that face coverings remain a simple, effective measure that give Londoners confidence to travel, and following clear advice from public health advisers, TfL will likely continue to recommend their use on the network.

"I urge passengers to be considerate of their fellow Londoners and continue to wear a face covering where appropriate unless exempt."

The Government scrapped the requirement for people in England to wear face coverings on public transport on January 27 but Transport for London kept the rule on its services.