Police have issued less than 40 fines to public transport passengers for not wearing an appropriate face covering, but the total number of penalties handed out amid the coronavirus pandemic has reached 18,683.
Latest data from the National Police Chiefs’s Council (NPCC) shows 38 notices have been issued by police forces since face coverings were made mandatory in England from June 15 and Wales from June 27.
This is despite previous claims from the Transport Secretary that one-in-ten passengers were breaking the rules.
Data from the National Police Chiefs’s Council (NPCC) shows 38 notices have been issued by police since face coverings were made mandatory England and Wales in June (file photo)
Latest police data shows a total of 18,683 notices have been handed out in England and Wales between March 27 and August 17, although some were for more than one reason
Passengers in England and Wales who are caught not complying with coronavirus regulations risk being fined £100 and removed from services. The fine is halved to £50 if it is paid within 14 days.
Some 32 of the 38 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued by the British Transport Police (BTP), with four being issued by West Midlands Police, and one each by Lancashire and Cumbria constabularies.
Just seven fines were issued during lockdown restrictions in England for people breaking the rules to stay overnight at a friend or relative’s house without a reasonable excuse, the latest figures show.
In total, 18,683 notices have been handed out for breaking coronavirus regulations in England and Wales between March 27 and August 17, although some were for more than one reason.
Some 13,980 of the 18,683 total notices were issued by police for breaching restriction of movement rules under the Health Protection Regulations 2020, designed to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
But only three notices have been issued to those failing to self-isolate after arriving in England – in Lincolnshire, Merseyside and Sussex. This does not include any fines from UK Border Force.
Separate figures from the Home Office, issued on August 14, showed that nine fines had been issued at the UK border since quarantine restrictions were introduced.
Thursday’s police figures also show a staggering 4,430 fines were given out to people meeting up in groups before lockdown restrictions were eased.
The NPCC figures show there was a general upward trend in rules being broken in the first period of the lockdown restrictions, peaking in the middle of April
A staggering 4,430 fines were given out to people meeting up in groups before lockdown restrictions were eased across the UK (file photo)
The latest NPCC data, recorded from constabularies across England and Wales, showed that just two penalties were issued for participating in a gathering of more than 30 people.
At the beginning of August, Grand Shapps wrote on Twitter that the face covering compliance rates on public transport was 90%, with BTP saying this has since risen to around 97%.
He said BTP and Transport for London (TfL) figures showed 285 passengers were issued with penalty notices for non-compliance, while 6,275 were asked to leave the transport network and 80,294 were reminded of the rules.
TfL data has not been included in the police figures released on Thursday.
Mick Lynch, senior assistant general secretary of the RMT union, said he was ‘deeply concerned that there are still passengers refusing to follow the basic rules’ in relation to face coverings.
He said: ‘Not only does that put staff and other passengers at risk but it creates a potential confrontation point at a time when everyone needs to be co-operating.
‘Enforcement has to be a matter for the British Transport Police and they need to be provided with the resources required to deliver it.’
A BTP spokesman said FPNs were ‘a last resort’, adding that people have been arrested ‘in a few cases’.
Just seven fines were issued during lockdown restrictions in England for people breaking the rules to stay overnight at a friend or relative’s house without a reasonable excuse (file photo)
The spokesman said: ‘Our approach is to always begin by engaging with the public and explain the reasons why the protections are necessary and a lawful requirement.
‘Since face coverings became mandatory on public transport our officers have spoken with thousands of passengers, encouraging them to wear face coverings whilst travelling.
‘The overwhelming majority of people have listened, complied, and continued to play an important role in protecting other passengers and rail staff – we have seen compliance levels of around 97%.’
Male passengers account for 37 of the 38 penalties issued on public transport. Two in every three notices were issued to individuals aged between 18 and 29, the NPCC said.
Thursday’s data also showed a further eight FPNs were issued to people not wearing face coverings in another relevant places, such as in a shop.
During localised restrictions, 36 fines have also been issued by police forces in line with specific regulations in each affected area.
The figures show there was a general upward trend in rules being broken in the first period of the lockdown restrictions, peaking in the middle of April.
The NPCC said there was then ‘generally a flatter trend through the rest of April and early May’, adding that a ‘considerable reduction in enforcement activity’ had been noted since as restrictions progressively eased.
Only three notices have been issued to those failing to self-isolate after arriving in England – in Lincolnshire, Merseyside and Sussex (file photo)
In the last four weeks, 13 fines were issued by forces in England, while no fines were issued in Wales during the same period.
Just 11 notices were issued in the last full week, ending on August 13.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Martin Hewitt said: ‘Coronavirus is still a real and deadly threat. The restrictions across the UK are in place to limit the spread of the virus and save lives.
‘Large gatherings both indoors and outdoors are still unlawful. And it is mandatory to wear face coverings on public transport, in shops and in some other enclosed spaces. Other local restrictions apply in some parts of the country.
‘We all have a role to play limiting the spread of this deadly virus so familiarise yourself with public health measures in place locally.’
He urged people to continue to be ‘socially responsible’ as restrictions are eased, with people who organise or facilitate unlawful gatherings still facing substantial fines of up to £10,000.