'It is very concerning': Mask use plummets on Sydney public transport

Mask use on Sydney’s public transport network has decreased sharply as patronage continues to rise, with senior government ministers growing anxious as thousands return to the CBD.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance on Thursday said mask use had dropped by about 50 per cent over the past four weeks, indicating only about 20 per cent of passengers were wearing them.

Mask use has dropped by 50 per cent on Sydney's public transport network.Credit: Janie Barrett

Mr Constance said buses were the government’s major concern given the relatively cramped conditions and number of commuters now using them.

"Patronage is going one way and mask usage is going the other ... particularly as more people return to the city," Mr Constance said.

"I’m pleading with everybody to start wearing masks. I would hate to see, down the track, fines being introduced."

The government has resisted calls to mandate the use of masks on public transport, despite some medical experts suggesting it was necessary.

Commuters at Sydney's Central Station on Thursday.Credit: Janie Barrett

Transport for NSW began monitoring CCTV in the middle of this year to gauge how many commuters were wearing masks, with preliminary data suggesting around 30-35 per cent.

Citing customer service data collected from surveys, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in late August said mask use was closer to 60 per cent, close to double what TfNSW was recording.

Mr Constance said commuter numbers were hovering around 1.1 million daily trips through October, similar to what was seen in September, having more than doubled since April.

Patronage in September was still just 50 per cent compared to the same time last year.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance.Credit: James Brickwood

University of NSW epidemiology expert Mary-Louise McLaws said the drop in mask use was "disappointing but not surprising".

"When it's recommended but not mandatory then Australians make a decision about how they see their risk and the benefits of what you’re asking them to do. People will choose not to use them because of the discomfort," she said.

"It is very concerning because we don’t want to get to a stage where we become complacent because we won’t get eradication."

A person with coronavirus travelled on the T2 line in Sydney last week, prompting a public health warning, with passengers on the same train treated as casual contacts.

Professor McLaws said there needed to be a national approach to mask use on public transport to provide consistency across the country as hard borders come down.

"Instead of putting requirements on and off, just have it as mandatory in every city, so when we start opening up our borders it’s just the way we do things in Australia until we get that vaccine," she said.

Professor Lyn Gilbert at the Marie Bashir Institute of Emerging Infection and Biosecurity said while it should be left up to individual jurisdictions to decide on mandatory face masks, she would wear one.

"Personally, if I were on public transport in Sydney at the moment I would wear a mask and I think that it would be very sensible and highly desirable for people to do so," she said.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet on Wednesday voiced his concern that mask wearing had fallen away.

However he added that Transport for NSW was working on "plans to increase capacity so we can bring more people back into town".

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