Covid 19 coronavirus: Union says drivers will not enforce wearing of masks on buses

A union boss says bus drivers will not enforce the Government's plan to make face masks mandatory on public transport from Monday.

Auckland Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said wearing face masks on public transport is a good idea - but the job of bus drivers is to drive the bus.

"The bus driver can't drive the bus and monitor what is happening down the back of the bus," he said.

"We don't know who is going to enforce it. It is certainly not going to be the driver."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday said the spread of Covid-19 on a bus had pushed the Government to require face masks to be worn at level 2 and above on buses, planes, trains, ferries and taxi services.

A spokesman for Health Minister Chris Hipkins said the rules for wearing masks on public transport and the expectations on passengers and transport operators are still being worked through and should be released on Thursday.

An Auckland Transport spokesman said the Government has indicated the obligation to wear a face mask will be on individual passengers and operators will not assume the role of enforcement officer.

He said a guidance document being worked on by the Ministry of Transport and the NZ Transport Agency is expected to cover enforcement, as well as face covering types, disposal and availability of masks, and exemptions.

Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison. Photo / File

Froggatt said perhaps the operators should go back to having conductors on buses and a floor to ceiling plastic screen behind the driver.

At present, passengers board and exit Auckland buses through the back door and drivers are taped off from passengers to maintain social distancing

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff supports the wearing of face masks on public transport, saying it is an effective means to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

It follows a revelation that two bus passengers tested positive for Covid after taking a number of buses while infectious.

One of yesterday's eight cases of Covid in the community had contact with a confirmed case on a bus.

Auckland Transport is actively encouraging people to register their HOP cards. About 83 per cent of regular bus users have a registered card, but about 120,000 have not registered their name and details.

AT chief executive Shane Ellison said customer research from the first weekend back in level 3 shows 88 per cent of people would support compulsory face masks on public transport.