During this week’s States sitting, Deputy Inna Gardiner asked Deputy Kevin Lewis why LibertyBus drivers did not wear protective equipment on their faces, despite all customers being required to do so since the summer.
In response, the minister said asking drivers to do so was a safety risk.
‘For the health and safety of everyone on board our bus services, the wearing of coverings for bus drivers must be for them to choose,’ he said.
‘It’s essential for drivers to be comfortable and to have nothing impairing their vision while operating large passenger-carrying vehicles. Masks can potentially cause glasses to steam up or rise up on the driver’s line of sight.’
Deputy Gardiner pointed out that other countries had introduced mandatory mask-wearing for bus drivers and asked why Jersey was different.
But Deputy Lewis pointed out that drivers spend little time close to passengers and were usually at least a metre away from them.
‘During the summer of 2020, the wearing of face coverings by passengers was made a condition of carriage by LibertyBus in order that buses can be restored to full capacity,’ he said.
‘This has the support of the public health authorities and recognises that bus passengers may be in close proximity to others for moderate periods of time, typically ten to 30 minutes.
‘But bus passengers are in close proximity to the driver only momentarily when they are scanning their Avanchi cards, student cards or other cards or other fare collection is taking place.
‘Travelling passengers are at least one-metre distance from the driver – usually much, much more.’
