Victorian transport users flouting mask rules

A secret-shopper research ­revealed that mask use on public transport has begun to drop away despite public health safety rules.

Mask use on public transport has begun to drop away despite public health safety rules, with more than one in 10 tram and train passengers wearing their masks improperly or not at all.

The Andrews government will ramp up efforts to make sure Victorians wear face coverings on the network after ­secret-shopper research ­revealed some people still doing the wrong things.

The surveys, which studied more than 2000 people secretly, found just 77 per cent of train passengers in January wore their mask correctly, compared with 88 per cent in November.

On trams, proper mask use fell to 82 per cent over the same period.

Passengers on the Frankston line were more likely to be breaking the rules than any other part of the network, while Route 16 had the worst compliance for trams.

“The overwhelming majority of passengers on public transport are doing the right thing and wearing a mask, however, there are still some passengers not wearing them correctly,” Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said.

“Let’s work together and keep it up so everyone can stay safe.

“In the next few weeks we’ll be installing even more ­reminders on the network for passengers to wear their masks correctly.

Passengers must wear masks on trains, trams and buses.

“We’ve introduced a comprehensive suite of measures on our public transport ­network to keep people safe as more people return to the ­network over the coming weeks and months.”

Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said masks would remain an important part of battling coronavirus for the “foreseeable future”.

“We have seen that there is more and more evidence to support the use of masks in slowing the spread of coronavirus,” he said.

Under public health guidelines, masks are mandatory on public transport and in ride- share vehicles.

They are also required ­indoors, except when eating or drinking, and outdoors when social distancing is not possible.

Before Victoria’s snap five-day lockdown this month, public transport had returned to about half of pre-coronavirus levels.

Trip numbers peaked on February 3 at 1.05 million, the highest patronage since March 20 last year.

Metropolitan and regional trains have recorded the biggest resurgence in passengers out of all forms of public transport.