Mask rules Victoria: Which Melbourne train lines are obeying restrictions

Complacent maskless commuters have been caught flouting COVID rules on Victorian trains as police warn it won’t be tolerated.

COVID-weary Victorians are ignoring the state government’s mandatory mask rule on trains despite police promising to crack down on those breaking the law.

In a special Herald Sun investigation, it can be revealed fed-up commuters were blatantly ignoring the rule during the morning and afternoon peak this week, even with Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll saying the mask mandate would be around for “quite a long period of time.”

A police spokesman said “obvious and blatant” failures to wear a mask on public transport would result in a fine.

And while a Department of Transport spokesperson said the wearing of masks was no longer mandatory for station staff and authorised officers in station areas, including platforms, the face guard remains mandatory for everyone on-board public transport.

But it seems that message is falling on a lot of deaf ears.

In one carriage on the Sandringham line during the morning rush hour, only nine of 27 passengers were wearing a mask.

Those not wearing masks didn’t want to explain why.

In the evening, less than half wore masks.

Sophia Garcia, of South Yarra, was wearing a mask but said she wasn’t concerned about the risk of catching COVID from other commuters not wearing masks.

“I’m from North America and compared to there, (Australia is) doing pretty OK,” she said.

On the Frankston line during the morning rush, about 50 per cent of passengers were not wearing masks.

A commuter travelling the City Loop service without a mask on Wednesday, April 28, between 8am and 9am.

In one full train carriage leaving Richmond station at 8.23am, of the 60 passengers, 23 did not wear masks, including three people who placed them below their chins.

Those not wearing masks were given unfriendly looks from the passengers sitting next to them.

Frontline worker and nurse Bec Broadhurst said it was a lack of respect.

“Yeah, it (people not wearing masks) has been happening more frequently — it’s disheartening when we’ve worked so hard to get to this point,” she said.

“I think it shows a lack of respect for the people you’re travelling with, when they won’t wear one for an hour or less, especially as a nurse.”

More than a dozen commuters on the City Loop complained that footy crowds leaving the MCG at Richmond had not been adhering to the mandatory measures.

They described appalling “no mask” trains, with passengers in team colours but less than half wearing a mask.

They also said they had seen no PSOs on the post-game trains.

On board the Pakenham-City Loop, again, about half the passengers were not wearing masks.

Some said they “didn’t feel they had to” and claimed ticket inspectors and PSOs were failing to wear face coverings.

Springvale resident Andy, who was wearing a mask, wasn’t frustrated by those who weren’t.

“I wear a mask because it’s optional. Even though I am scared of getting COVID, it doesn’t bother me that others don’t wear a mask,” the 22-year-old said.

“I just try and keep my distance from (people who don’t) while I’m on the train.”

Murrumbeena woman Rina Abela, 41, who wore no mask, said PSOs and ticket inspectors were failing to set a good example by not covering up.

“If there were new cases I would definitely wear a mask but with no disease in the community I don’t see a point,” she said.

“Some PSOs and ticket inspectors don’t even wear them.”

PSOs at Box Hill railway station.

At Ringwood railway station, James Semertzidis said he had noticed more people not wearing masks when he travelled in the evening.

“I’m not sure why, people might be clueless or don’t know the rule is still in place”, he said.

Mr Semertzidis said he carried a mask with him on public transport but sometimes forgot to wear it.

He said he didn’t feel uncomfortable travelling with people not wearing masks as Melbourne had no active cases of COVID.

Kilsyth commuter James Semertzidis at Ringwood station.

A couple of women at Bayswater railway station estimated less than 10 per cent of passengers were not wearing masks on their journey home each day.

At Ringwood, daily commuter Grant Hooper noticed a similar amount, but said he’d seen less people wearing masks on trains in the past three weeks,

Mr Hooper said he was comfortable wearing a mask on public transport for as long as required, given the COVID vaccine rollout would take some time.

“If we have to do it, we have to do it, it’s a small sacrifice,” he said.

On the evening Belgrave-bound 6.45pm train on Wednesday, fewer than half of the 14 passengers in one carriage were not wearing masks — most of them teenagers.

Meanwhile, Upwey’s Bella James, who travels on the Belgrave line, thought masks should be optional on services outside of the CBD.

“There’s not as many people out here and you’re able to keep a distance, whereas in the city it’s kinda hard to,” she said.

Glen Waverley passengers on the 8.15am, Wednesday train, were among the best behaved in Melbourne with about three-quarters wearing masks.

Not all commuters were wearing masks on the Glen Waverley line on Wednesday morning.

At Holmesglen station, commuter Euan Walmsley, who wore a mask, wasn’t troubled.

“But I’ve been into the city twice this week and I find myself noting the percentage of people that are unmasked — I think it’s about a third or half of all passengers,” he said.

At Glen Iris station commuter Feng said although she continued to wear a mask, she didn’t believe it was necessary as there were no cases of COVID in the community.

“Quite a number of people are not wearing masks (on trains) at the moment,” she said.

It is school kids and office workers on short trips who are flouting mask rules, say regular passengers on the Frankston line.

Rhea Hales, who catches the train from Frankston to Monash University twice a week said most morning commuters wore masks.

Rhea Hales

However, she said it was a different story during the afternoon peak.

“Office workers who get off after a few stops aren’t wearing masks,” Ms Hales said.

“I also see a lot of older kids in school uniform without masks at either end of the journey.”

A teenage boy in school uniform was in Ms Hales’ train carriage, not wearing a mask.

He said it was the first time in two years that he had caught a train and he didn’t know he needed a mask.

Fellow traveller Nick Curnow said he had also noticed inner city commuters without masks.

“The closer you get to the city the less masks you see,” he said.

“I think people have become complacent because it’s been so long since we’ve had a community case.

“People who live close to where they work or study spend less time on public transport so probably feel there is less risk.”

Meanwhile in regional Victoria the story was similar to Melbourne.

A Bendigo commuter who caught the 2pm train from Melbourne to the country said only half the passengers were wearing masks.

Of the 54 on the V-line train only 27 were wearing their masks properly.

Even when masks were on, some had their noses sticking out above the fabric, while others wore the protective equipment like a chin strap.

While Shepparton commuters believe masks should remain compulsory on public transport.

A poll on the Goulburn Valley News’ Facebook page shows more people are in favour of the protection staying put.

While one person said: “It should be a choice for the individual.”