Laurence Dollimore
PEOPLE who live together will be allowed to travel in the same car without a mask from tomorrow (May 11).
According to the official state bulletin (BOE), people in Phase 1 AND Phase 0 areas can fill all seats inside a private vehicle with an occupancy limit of nine, including the driver.
If people who do not live together wish to travel in the same car, then two people can sit on each row of seats, provided they wear a mask and respect the maximum possible distance between one another.
Two people can travel on motorcycles, mopeds and other category L vehicles as long as they wear a helmet with a visor or some form of mask or live together.
They will also have to wear gloves (biking gloves will be accepted).
In public transport vehicles of up to nine seats (i.e taxis), two people can sit on each row of seats behind the driver, rising to three if the people live together.
In vehicles with just one row of seats, such as vans, a maximum of two people can travel, and they they must wear masks and maintain as much distance as possible.
However those in Phase 0 areas will still only be permitted to travel for essential or permitted reasons.
On trains and buses, where all occupants must be seated, operators will limit how many people come onboard to ensure there is an empty seat next to each passenger.
The only exception to this rule would be people who live together, while the first row behind the driver’s seat will remain empty.
UPDATE: A previous version of this article stated the new vehicle rules applied to Phase 1 areas, the government has now stated they also apply to Phase 0 areas. The article has been updated.
