London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Inability to enforce face masks leaves London mayor frustrated

Inability to enforce face masks leaves London mayor frustrated

Sadiq Khan calls for government measures to help ensure coverings are worn on public transport

London cannot stop “significant numbers” of people from travelling without masks, Sadiq Khan has admitted, as he appealed to the government to restore the law or assist the capital in passing a bylaw to ensure face-coverings are used.

The London mayor spoke of his “frustration” at the reduction in compliance on the tube and buses since national rules changed on 19 July. Mask-wearing to tackle Covid transmission remains a condition of carriage on Transport for London services, but is no longer mandatory nationwide.

According to recent TfL figures, just 221 people were stopped from boarding transport services and 53 people told to get off in the first seven weeks since 19 July, with passengers no longer facing the threat of prosecution.

Khan said of the current regime: “It sends mixed signals. We can’t use British Transport Police to enforce mask-wearing and there is no penalty, no fines, prosecutions.

“So what you are seeing is that although the vast majority of Londoners are doing the right thing, significant numbers are not doing the right thing.”

Most anecdotal reports suggest mask-wearing on the tube has slipped rapidly since the last official estimates from August, when TfL said about 82% of passengers were covering their faces.

Speaking at the opening of the new London Underground Northern Line extension on Monday, Khan added: “We continue to lobby the government to either bring back the national requirement for wearing face masks, so we can use police and there is consistency, or help us pass a bylaw so we can use BTP officers.


“To give an idea of the scale of the challenge: we have 272 stations and 9,000 buses and we have 400 enforcement officers.”

Since 19 July, the date on which Boris Johnson’s government said it was lifting the last coronavirus restrictions, passengers on transport services such as national rail have been “expected” to wear masks in closed and crowded carriages but it has been an individual choice. Industry research has shown that, as elsewhere, the risk of contagion on trains is far higher without masks.

Andy Lord, managing director of London Underground, said compliance was “reasonably high” but there were “hotspots” where people did not wear masks.

Lord said: “It would be really helpful if there was a consistent policy across transport but that’s up to the government. At TfL we think it is important for everyone’s wellbeing that people do wear their face-coverings.”

Recent ONS figures suggested that more than 4 million people have stopped wearing masks at all.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×