The wearing of face masks will remain mandatory on TfL services, despite Boris Johnson's announcement that Covid restrictions are to be relaxed.

The Prime Minister revealed Plan B measures are to be scrapped, including the legal requirement for mask-wearing on public transport, in shops and schools, owing to a decline in infections and a belief among scientists that the peak of the Omicron wave of Covid-19 has passed.

In response, London Mayor Sadiq Khan stressed the importance of face masks, revealing that they will remain a 'condition of carriage' on TfL services, meaning passengers can be asked to leave or prevented from boarding if they refuse, but not fined.

Sadiq Khan said: “Wearing a face covering is one of the single most important and easiest things we can all do to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the Government should rethink their plans and keep legislation in place to make them mandatory on public transport as well as in shops and indoor public venues.

“This ensures the rules are clear and consistent and, crucially, means enforcement action can continue to be carried out on our transport network.

“If we have learnt anything from this pandemic, it is that we must not get complacent and undo all our hard work and sacrifices.

“That’s why face coverings will remain a condition of carriage on Transport for London services.

"I’m asking everyone in our capital to do the right thing and continue to wear a face covering when travelling on TfL services to keep us all protected and to prevent further restrictions from being necessary later down the line.”

The Mayor was backed by Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, who said: “As ever our union puts public health first and we know that face coverings help reduce transmission of the virus and will give the public confidence on public transport.

“It’s vital our brave transport members who have been on the front line of this pandemic continue to feel they are protected.

“Sadiq Khan is spot on when he says face coverings should remain beyond the end of Plan B, especially given the rates of infection we are still seeing.

“Clearly the Government should back this, not only for London but across the rest of our public transport network.”

Face masks will no longer be needed in places such as shops and on public transport from next Thursday.

They will also be scrapped in classrooms from this Thursday, with school communal areas to follow.

The legal requirement for people with coronavirus to self-isolate will be allowed to lapse when the regulations expire on March 24, and that date could be brought forward.

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