From Monday, all passengers and drivers need to wear face coverings on public transport, while at Alert Level 2 or above. Environment Canterbury senior manager public transport Stewart Gibbon is encouraging everyone to continue showing kindness and patience as we adjust to this.

“Please be kind to your fellow passengers and our drivers. It’s important to remember that some people, drivers included, will have legitimate reasons, such as health, for not wearing a face covering.

“We trust that the vast majority of people who can do so will wear one and continue to help stop the spread. While our drivers can remind passengers to put on their face covering when boarding, there are some exemptions to this rule, and our drivers are not able to, or expected to, act as enforcers – and neither are other passengers. We need to rely on everyone taking personal responsibility for their individual situations.”

At this stage, information from central government confirms that face coverings don’t need to be worn in the following situations:

• By children under 12.
• On dedicated school services (including Ministry of Education services and Metro school services).
• By people with a disability or physical or mental health condition that makes covering their face unsuitable.
• There will be other times when it is not required – such as in an emergency, if unsafe, if people need to prove their identity or to communicate with someone who is deaf, or if required by law.

Learn more about face coverings on the

Unite Against COVID-19 website

.

Contact tracing

The importance of contact tracing is high in Alert Level 2, and passengers need to provide contact tracing information whenever they use public transport.

NZ COVID Tracer QR codes are available on all buses and the Diamond Harbour Ferry. All passengers are now requested to scan the QR code, using the NZ COVID Tracer app, every time they travel on public transport, including if they’ve paid with a registered Metrocard.

Gibbon says Environment Canterbury is working with its operators on a more permanent solution to have more QR codes available on each bus so passengers can more easily scan a code while maintaining physical distancing.

“We’d also like to reassure people not to worry if they do not have a phone that is able to use the QR codes – instead please call the Metroinfo team on 03 366 8855 to have your trip registered.”

Read the full update

© Scoop Media