Metro and Shields Ferry passengers will be encouraged to wear face masks on board after January 27, but the choice will be up to individuals.
The legal requirement to wear a face-covering on public transport in England ends on Wednesday. From Thursday, passengers can choose to wear one or not.
While in London TFL will retain the requirement to wear a mask on trains, tubes and buses, Nexus, which runs the Metro and ferry, will leave the choice up to individuals.
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A Nexus spokesperson said: “We are continuing to encourage people to wear face coverings when using Metro, the Shields Ferry and wider public transport, as the right thing to do for themselves, their families, and the whole community.
“The Government’s updated advice continues to advise people to wear face coverings in busy spaces, including public transport.
“Nexus and our partners have been active in promoting the use of face coverings as a positive and simple good health step throughout the pandemic and our customers welcome this.
“The latest data shows that around 70% of customers wear face coverings on Metro and bus – with the figure at its highest when trains, stations and vehicles are busy.”
UK Health Security Agency head Dr Susan Hopkins hopes Britons will choose to keep wearing masks in enclosed spaces, especially around strangers.
Speaking as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an end to the mask law, she said: “I think what we’ve seen is that case numbers have declined.
“It’s people’s behaviour that is going to make the difference over the next four weeks, on whether those case numbers continue to decline, stay the same, or rise.
“Clearly when you’re working from home you have less social contact, but we’re already seeing some people start to go back into the office and mix and socialise more.
“They need to do that carefully and within the guidelines, taking care particularly when they’re on public transport, in indoor spaces and crowded places to wear face coverings; to test regularly if they’re going back out and meeting people, particularly those who are more vulnerable; and finally to ensure that they’ve taken up that vaccination offer.”
Dr Hopkins added that “the biggest response that we all have as individuals is to take our personal behaviour seriously and that really is driving towards vaccination uptake, as well as remembering to wear our face coverings when you’re in closed spaces with people that you don’t know”.
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