Darlington Council makes taxi face coverings mandatory

Darlington Council felt drivers needed rules not guidance

Face coverings for both taxi drivers and their passengers have been made mandatory by a local authority.

A report to Darlington councillors said government guidance - that passengers "should" wear a mask but would not be punished if they did not - was unclear.

Licensing committee member Cyndi Hughes said Office for National Statistics data showed taxi drivers had one of the highest death rates from Covid-19.

Masks in taxis are mandatory in Wales and Scotland but not in England.

Darlington Borough Council is one of the first authorities to enforce it, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Ms Hughes said taxi drivers were at higher risk because they could not socially distance from their passengers.

Taxi drivers faced financial consequences if they followed guidance that they could refuse to take passengers not wearing a mask, she said.

Passenger choice

The committee heard drivers also feared disciplinary action if they refused fares, although legal advice was that passengers not wearing masks was a legitimate reason.

Council officers pointed out passengers could not force drivers to wear a face mask, but could choose to use a driver wearing one.

Some larger taxi firms already required passengers to wear face coverings, they said.

Ride-sharing company Uber has made it mandatory for both drivers and passengers to have them.