Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney has welcomed this morning's news that face masks will be made compulsory for travellers on TfL services when the government eases lockdown restrictions on Monday.

This morning London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that face coverings must be worn on London's transport network despite the government's relaxing of rules for masks.

Olney welcomed the announcement on Twitter, saying: "This is hugely welcome news.

"With such a high proportion of young people, and with cases set to continue to rise exponentially, London is in a unique and potentially dangerous position, and one which warrants this kind of action."

Khan said "in the absence of national legislation" he was introducing extra rules for TfL as he is not prepared to put Tube, bus and other transport users at risks.

On Twitter he announced: "After careful consideration, I've asked @TfL to keep the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport as a condition of travel after 19 July. Mandatory face masks will give passengers reassurance and protect both them and our heroic transport workers.

"The simplest and safest option would have been for the Government to retain the national requirement for face masks on public transport, but I'm not prepared to stand by and put Londoners, and our city's recovery, at risk."

He told the BBC: "As long as the virus is still with us, and as long as we're still concerned about the virus being transmitted, we will make it compulsory."

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