TAXI drivers in Bradford will NOT be forced to wear masks although they are being encouraged to do so for their own safety.

It comes as a neighbouring council is set to bring in temporary changes to make face masks mandatory for both hackney carriage and private hire drivers.

Calderdale Council is expected to approve the new rules next week in a move designed to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers.

A report to it's licensing and regulatory committee states that there is no national requirement for taxi drivers to wear face coverings while transporting passengers.

It adds however: "Given the current position in relation to coronavirus across Calderdale and in our neighbouring authorities there is a need for the authority to take steps in order to ensure the safety of the travelling public and the safety of the licensees.

"Calderdale Council together with its partners are striving to maximise all opportunities to mitigate the risk to public health in these unprecedented times."

The committee is being asked to agreed a temporary condition to all private hire driver licences and to the Hackney Carriage Code of Conduct requiring face coverings while transporting passengers as long as it is deemed there is a risk from Covid-19.

The report adds that neighbouring authorities have also been consulted about this planned move, and Council's included Bradford said they did not intend to make face coverings mandatory.

However, Bradford Council has confirmed that they are continuing to envourage the use of PPE for both drivers and passengers for their own safety.

It follows the approval in June of more than £200,000 of funding to improve safety in Bradford taxis during the coronavirus pandemic. It has paid for PVC screens to be installed between the driver and any rear seat passenger, as well as providing face masks and hand sanitiser

Taxi driver Mohammed Khan, of Bradford's Hackney Carriage Association, said while face coverings were not mandatory for drivers, the association was encouraging its members to protect themselves.

"Our drivers have the screens installed and we are telling them its best to wear a face masks as well when they have a passenger.

"We are also advising them to sanitise their vehicle after each passenger as a matter of course - such as when they coming back to the city centre."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “It is not currently mandatory for hackney carriage or private hire drivers in our district to wear a face covering. But, we do encourage the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for both drivers and passengers so that they can protect themselves.

“Several Private Hire Operators have introduced policies for their passengers to have a face covering on when they are in the vehicle and to support the taxi trades, Bradford Council has provided in excess of 30,000 face coverings, 6,000 bottles of hand sanitiser, 3,000 partition screens and sterilisation for all licensed vehicles.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have issued guidance on reducing the risk of infection to both drivers and passengers and our Enforcement Officers have continued to patrol the district, actively encouraging and advising drivers and operators to clean their vehicles between bookings, to use PPE and apply best practice for social distancing. The overwhelming majority of our licensees recognise that using a face covering and having passengers sit at the furthest point from the driver, in the rear of the vehicle, behind a protective screen, is in the interests of both parties.

“We have only received a very small number of complaints regarding drivers not wearing a face covering. Those complainants have been advised that it is not a mandatory requirement and we have informed operators of any complaints and reiterated the Government advice.”