Belgium, Croatia, France, parts of Greece, Portugal and Spain have all been taken off the exemptions list, among many more. You must observe social contact rules while walking or cycling in England. You must wear a face covering when travelling on a ferry, hovercraft (or other passenger vessel) or aircraft in England. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. You should not use a recycling bin. The rules for social contact and other restrictions vary in each UK nation: Before you travel from England to Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you should check that: The requirement to wear a face covering does not apply to: You also do not need to wear a face covering if you have a legitimate reason not to. If you do not wear a face covering in these settings, you will be breaking the law and could be fined. Is it safe to go into hospital? Risks are high in taxis, but expert advice may help you avoid the coronavirus disease in an Uber, Lyft, or any other ridesharing service during the pandemic. You should never give rides or take taxi rides if you suspect you might have coronavirus or feel generally unwell. You will be breaking the law if you fail to do so and could be fined. You should wear a face covering in an enclosed space where social distancing isn’t possible and where you will come into contact with people outside your household or support bubble. Check your specific plans with your airline, ferry, train operator and accommodation provider. The majority of the country is currently under Tier 3 or Tier 4 restrictions, limiting the trips that drivers should make. Added information on local COVID alert levels. Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Government and some operators have produced cards and badges which you can choose to wear to show you are exempt. If you do not wear a face covering in these settings you will be breaking the law and could be fined. There is no requirement to do this though, and if you rely on an exemption, transport staff should not ordinarily ask for evidence. Before you travel to the UK you must complete a passenger locator form. Be careful not to touch your face. Fines for not wearing a face covering on public transport or in enclosed areas of transport hubs have increased. You should remind passengers to wash or sanitise their hands after the journey. Where possible they should not sit in the front of the vehicle. Should you go out in your car during the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak, and does the advice on this differ for those who are in the most vulnerable groups? If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall. If you are visiting the UK, you may return home. Are you at increased risk for severe illness? You cannot leave your place of residence to go for holidays or overnight stays unless you have a reasonable excuse for doing so. Allow more time if your journey involves changes between different forms of transport. Where this is not possible, use public transport or drive". Driver training and testing is suspended in England, mainland Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You are allowed to stay overnight away from your home if a legally permitted reason applies, including if you: You must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse (for example, for work or education purposes). Updated information about COVID-19 can be found in Toronto Public Health’s COVID-19 Fact Sheet All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Driving and transport in the UK during coronavirus, Support for businesses and self-employed people during coronavirus, Carrying out a COVID-19 risk assessment – drivers, Preparing your vehicle for the next passenger, If you have coronavirus symptoms or have been told to self-isolate, Carrying out a COVID-19 risk assessment – operators and intermediaries, Providing health information to drivers and passengers, Financial help for PHV operators and taxi intermediaries, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme, Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you’re self-employed and getting less work or no work, carry out a risk assessment in line with government guidance, posters to remind drivers and passengers of hygiene good practice, Find out what financial support schemes you may be eligible for, COVID-19: Information for individuals and businesses in Wales, Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer aviation guidance for operators, Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer transport guidance for operators, Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information for individuals and businesses in Scotland, Coronavirus (COVID-19): transport and travel guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Transparency and freedom of information releases, coronavirus symptoms – a fever, new cough or loss of smell or taste, had a positive coronavirus test in the last 10 days, open doors / windows to ventilate the car for 5 minutes, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser, encourage the drivers you work with to read the, share messages to encourage passengers to download and use the NHS COVID-19 app, make clear to passengers that unless they are exempt, they must wear a face covering at all times when in the vehicle, remind passengers to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before entering the vehicle. Anyone can get COVID-19, but older adults and people of any age with certain medical conditions are at … Before you travel, check with your travel operator and port, or airline and airport for the latest travel advice on your route. You should do this before and after contact. Consider making a list of items to take with you. You should ask passengers to sit as far from you as possible or put a mark where you would like them to sit. These restrictions apply only to England. For example, if sharing the vehicle is reasonably necessary as part of a passenger’s work, you do not have to refuse to carry them. Download the NHS COVID-19 app, if possible. Consider making a list of items to take with you and minimise the luggage you take. The list of reasons you can leave your home include, but are not limited to: If you need to travel, walk or cycle where possible, and plan ahead to avoid busy times and routes on public transport. You must continue to assist disabled passengers with their luggage and mobility equipment. ', Check how the new Brexit rules affect you. You should never give rides or take taxi rides if you suspect you might have coronavirus or feel generally unwell. See the guidance on car sharing. Social distancing applies to children as well as adults. Such as, on or in a: You must also wear a face covering in substantially enclosed areas of transport hubs from which passenger services operate. Use a ‘black bag’ waste bin or litter bin to dispose of face coverings. As an example, receiving a second fine will amount to £400 and a third fine will be £800. This includes: You are not allowed to get on public transport or enter substantially enclosed areas of transport hubs if you are not wearing a face covering, unless you have an exemption or a legitimate reason for not wearing one. You should check the rules that apply if you plan to travel to any other part of the UK: You must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse (for example, for work, to attend a medical appointment, or education purposes). You may want to check with your taxi or private hire operator before travelling if they have put any additional measures in place. Your transport provider may put measures in place to help you follow the public health guidance of the destination country. You should not travel abroad unless it is permitted. Non-passengers should only enter airports where needed. Rules for taxi drivers to follow: “Therefore, using a rideshare or taxi can be moderate to high-risk venues for exposure if someone with coronavirus is in or has recently been in the vehicle.” To reduce risks, ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft now require drivers and passengers to wear face coverings . For example, give cyclists space at traffic lights. These restrictions apply to England only. It is against the law to leave your home to travel unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons. Help keep yourself, other passengers and transport staff safe by observing the following precautions: Treat transport staff with respect and follow instructions from your transport operator. Travel safely during the coronavirus outbreak You can help control coronavirus (COVID-19) and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you … taxi, hire car, wedding hire car, rideshare). Show passengers your face while socially distancing so that they can identify you as their driver. For example, you may need proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to some countries. These laws apply while you are in England. For longer journeys, take more than one face covering and a plastic bag for used face coverings. Check how the new Brexit rules affect you. There are restrictions in place on travel to some countries and what you can do when you are there. You can refuse to take a passenger if they are not wearing a face covering and they are not exempt. It is important to wash or sanitise your hands before and after touching your face covering. You can submit the form any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. This applies to people entering the UK from all countries and territories. With the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) City Taxis advises passengers to follow the HSE guidelines: Wash your hands well and often to avoid contamination. The more cases in your community or at your destination, the more likely you are to get and spread COVID-19 during travel. Where travel is necessary, consider whether children could walk or cycle, accompanied by a responsible adult or carer, where appropriate. There are some activities for which individuals are still permitted to travel in groups that do not otherwise conform to the requirements of the social contact rules. have you checked the latest travel advice from your transport operator? Passengers must wear a face covering in a taxi or PHV, unless they are exempt. From … Local restriction tiers information updated. Where possible, keep a suitable distance from other people. If you refuse to wear a face covering, you can receive a fine from the police or Transport for London enforcement officers. The Office for National Statistics in England found that security guards, chefs and taxi drivers were the most vulnerable professions in terms of Covid-19 death rates, with male taxi … Added translations in Arabic, Bangla, Welsh, Hindi, Punjabi, Polish, Pashto, Romanian, Somali, Turkish, Urdu and Chinese. Where it is essential to car share, you can reduce the risk of transmission by: Expect more pedestrians and cyclists, especially at peak times of day. Please be mindful that the wearing of a face covering may inhibit communication with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound. You do not have to wear a face covering, but we recommend that you do if it does not affect your ability to drive safely. You will be breaking the law if you fail to do so and could be fined. You should not work if you have coronavirus symptoms or you have been told to self-isolate. Will I still receive a reminder when my vehicle inspection at an authorised garage is due? If any problems arise or you feel ill during your journey, speak to a member of transport staff. Added details of how people with coronavirus symptoms can arrange to have a test to see if they have COVID-19. Be considerate to your fellow passengers and to transport staff: Where possible, check in using the NHS COVID-19 app if you enter a venue that has an official NHS COVID-19 QR code poster at the entrance. Larger droplets can land on surfaces they touch. Read more about Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you’re self-employed and getting less work or no work. Whether you need to self-isolate, and for how long, depends on where you have been in the last 10 days, and which UK nation you are travelling to. If you need to dispose of your face covering, use ‘black bag’ waste bins or litter bins. can you walk or cycle to your destination? You must also wear a face covering by law in some other public places, unless you have a face covering exemption because of your age or health, or if you have a legitimate reason not to. You can change your cookie settings at any time. The rules for wearing face coverings are different in the other UK nations: Some people don’t have to wear a face covering including for health, age or disability reasons. Tier 4 local restriction information added. Face coverings are not a substitute for maintaining social distancing and good hand hygiene. To help control the spread of the virus, you should remind passengers of the rules on social distancing in place, but you do not have to refuse to carry them. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to complete it to reduce delays at the border. Children in England must also observe social contact rules in some cases. On arriving in the UK, you must comply with border and immigration requirements. In addition, taxi drivers may work for a company with a non- ambulance transportation contract—meaning you may drive medical customers to the doctor’s office … This will reduce pressure on public transport and the road network. You can help control COVID-19 and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. If you need to use public transport, you should follow the public transport guidance. You can change your cookie settings at any time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. Passengers should check the national lockdown rules that apply. The fixed penalty notice will require you to pay £200, which is reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days. You should not put face coverings in a recycling bin or drop them as litter. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or the inside of your elbow when coughing or sneezing. You must wear a face covering when using taxis or private hire vehicles. Read more about the rules to find out if you need to self-isolate, and for how long. Be aware of the surfaces you touch. We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve government services. Is it safe to drive with the windows down? Addition of text 'You should be prepared to remove your face covering if asked to do so by police officers and police staff for the purposes of identification. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Find the latest information on Coronavirus (COVID-19). NHS services have made changes to make sure it's safe for you to be seen during coronavirus. Taxi drivers are urging local councils to push through greater in-car safety measures to guard against coronavirus. Follow guidance on the use of face coverings. The form is an online form. Children should keep their distance from people who are not in their household or support bubble while on public transport and in enclosed or substantially enclosed public areas of transport hubs. The rules are different in the other UK nations. There are a small number of people who don’t have to complete the form, because of their jobs. Your licensing authority or operator may ask you to wear a face covering. This is only where travel is reasonably necessary in order to carry out a specific activity, including: The police will be able to take action against those who break these rules, including asking people to disperse and issuing a fixed penalty notice of £200 for the first offence. For example, if car sharing is reasonably necessary as part of your work. We use cookies to collect information about how you use GOV.UK. Some people don’t have to wear a face covering for health, age or disability reasons. People who show symptoms of coronavirus must stay at home for at least seven days, even if they are mild, and should not take taxis. If you do need to travel overseas (and are legally permitted to do so, for example, because it is for work), even if you are returning to a place you’ve visited before, you should look at the rules in place at your destination and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice. You must also wear a face covering at airports, as well as at ports and terminals used by vessels providing a public transport service. Your local council can help you plan your journey by providing maps showing dedicated paths and routes. What are the risks of getting the coronavirus while driving? It is further recommended that you should not offer ride-sharing or pooled ride services online or at taxi ranks. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Updated to reflect the upcoming requirement for passengers to wear face coverings on public transport in England. You must wear a face covering on public transport and in substantially enclosed areas of transport hubs in England. If you need help, try to keep a suitable distance from members of staff. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. 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