Responding to the Mayor of London’s decision to make face masks compulsory on Transport for London’s network, Nick Bowes, Chief Executive at Centre for London said:

“The decision to keep face coverings on public transport in the capital chimes with the mood of Londoners.

“People are increasingly happy to return to central London, but their confidence could easily be knocked by a bad experience on public transport. Face masks help us to be considerate of our fellow travellers, especially those who have no choice but to use public transport and this extra precaution will give some people the reassurance they need to venture back into the city for work or leisure.

“The Government should follow suit with non-TfL services within London so there is clarity across the city about wearing face masks on public transport.”

ENDS

• A recent poll undertaken by Centre for London found that nearly two thirds of Londoners (62 per cent) said they now felt comfortable visiting central London. This is an increase of almost 10 percentage points from September 2020, when only 52 per cent said they were confident to do so. Young people aged 16-34 were most likely to say they were comfortable with going into the city centre (70 per cent) compared to Londoners aged over 55 (52 per cent).
• The polling, conducted in partnership with Savanta, looking at how Londoners’ perceptions and behaviours change over time. Polling of 1,513 London residents was conducted by Savanta between 24 May and 6 June 2021. Results were weighted to be representative of London’s population.