Passengers 'play their part' with mask-wearing
South Yorkshire's mayor has asked people to continue wearing masks when using public transport
- Published
Commuters have said they will continue to wear masks and practise social distancing despite the government lifting legal restrictions.
Nightclubs have reopened, limits on the number of people at events have been removed and face coverings are no longer required by law.
In South Yorkshire public transport users have been asked to continue wearing masks by regional mayor Dan Jarvis because of an increase in cases.
In Barnsley, where the BBC spoke to a number of travellers, most said they were happy to "play their part" to stop the virus spreading.
In Barnsley, the coronavirus rate per 100,000 people has increased to 733, a week-on-week increase from 681.
Sheffield City Region mayor and Labour MP Mr Javis says "now is not the time" to remove the legal restrictions around mask-wearing.
'It's a habit now'
At the town's interchange, you can see the marks left by floor stickers telling people to social distance.
Posters asking people to continue wearing their masks remain, with most following the advice.
Leeds-bound sisters Samantha and Adriana Dombrovska are taking their first journey on public transport in weeks - something they have previously tried to avoid.
"It's weird now where you take your mask off when you walk in shops," retail worker Samantha says.
The rule changes have made her "kind of happy but worried", she says, hoping it would not lead to another lockdown.
"It's just kind of a habit now [wearing a mask], you go out and you take it off. You get used to it like a second face. A cover to hide away."
Sisters Samantha (left) and Adriana Dombrovska travelled to Leeds from Barnsley
Adriana, 20, says she hopes people will continue wearing masks.
Carrying hers as she waits to board the train, Adriana says she will wear it when close to other people.
"It's just really warm now, but when I get on the train I will wear it, so always obey those rules," she says.
'Staying safe'
Teenager Abel Abraham said he would continue wearing his mask to make him feel safer
Abel Abraham, 18, who travels from Sheffield to Barnsley for work, says wearing a mask makes him feel safer when on the train.
"Understanding how the virus passes through, it makes me a bit more secure wearing my mask around places in case someone else might have contracted the virus," he says.
"In my head, the virus will still be there so staying safe and keeping the right measures is important for me."
'Follow the trend'
Bus user Adam Eddison said he would wear a mask if someone asked him
Father Adam Eddison, 27, says he is looking forward to rules being relaxed, but would keep wearing a mask when asked to by members of staff.
"I've felt safe using public transport," he says" "Everyone is in the same boat and followed the rules and if everyone is wearing their masks we should be safe like they [the government] said."
When asked why he isn't wearing a mask in the bus station, Mr Eddison says wearing them everywhere is "a pain".
"If someone came up to me now and told me to put a mask on, I would put it on straight away.
"The rules are for everyone not just me so I'll just follow the trend. If people don't want to wear it, then why do I need to wear it?"
'Play their part'
Jackie Reay hopes to protect her son by continuing to wear her mask
For regular bus user Jackie Reay, 67, she said she will continue wearing her mask to protect her adult son, who is diabetic.
"I can't let him catch it, so I'm wearing mine on public transport and everywhere I go," she says.
"I would prefer people to wear their masks still. People have to play their part."