19 July: The station where masks are mandatory - and not

The Tube requires facemasks while Thameslink, on the right, does not

The latest rule changes mean passengers at some stations in the capital require face coverings for the services run by Transport for London (TfL), but not on other operators' trains.

On the first morning under this new, more relaxed Covid regime in England, the BBC spoke to commuters at one such station, Farringdon, to see what they are making of it all.

Commuters at the central London station can change trains a matter of metres apart. As they make the short journey across the platform, the advice changes too. They are allowed either to remove their face covering or should put it on, depending on which direction they are travelling.

• Masks to remain compulsory on London transport

• Covid rules from 19 July: What has changed?

• 'It's a fight and we're in the middle'

Although face coverings are no longer a legal requirement, official advice "expects and recommends" them in crowded and enclosed spaces.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has gone further, using his powers to make mask-wearing a condition of carriage on all TfL services. TfL said mask compliance on Monday was at 85% so far, although Tube services remained at 38% of normal demand with buses at 68%.

Many passengers were unaware of the rule changes though, and seemed confused about what the current advice is.

'We've gone back on ourselves'

"It should be down to the government," Will Lucas says

Will Lucas is an IT manager and is allowing his staff to adjust their hours to avoid travelling when services are at their busiest. He says clarity is needed.

He said: "In my opinion, it shouldn't be down to individual companies to set themselves up to be blamed by the public. It should be down to the government and that's what it should have been from day one.

"We're so close and now we've just gone completely back on ourselves. It should never be put on individuals or companies to make their minds up, because now it's different across the entire UK and nowhere in the world, as far as I'm aware, is really doing that."

'I think people are bored of the situation'

Natalie Ross likens the situation here to Israel, where she is on holiday from

Natalie Ross was born in London but now lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, where most of the population are vaccinated, although the country is reportedly on the brink of another lockdown one month after social distancing and mask-wearing rules were relaxed.

She said: "I think masks should be mandatory indoors on all public transport for a lot longer. This isn't going away.

"I think people are bored of the situation so I don't think everyone will listen to the rules... not at night when people are a bit drunk and they've been at bars.

"I'll let you know when I come home tonight now the rules have changed."

'It doesn't really make any sense'

Alex Ferrara says there should be "no masks at all or masks on all trains"

Alex Ferrara, 24, a jeweller, wasn't aware of the new rules which he branded as "crazy" and "terrible".

He said: "You're like five metres away from the platform. It doesn't really make any sense.

"Either you don't wear a mask on either train or you wear a mask on both trains."

• Where do I need to keep wearing a mask... and why?

• Scotland and England now have different rules for masks

• Firms left to decide own rules on face masks

'If you don't know the rules, keep it on'

Julie Field was wearing masks on public transport even before it became mandatory last June

Julie Field, 55, has been wearing a mask to protect her 95-year-old mother, with whom she lives, even before they became mandatory "for her own personal comfort".

She said: "If you don't know what the rules are, keep your mask on. Other people may not have people they care about.

"I'm going to do the absolute maximum to keep myself safe."