TOWN hall bosses are to ask taxi and private hire bosses to ensure their drivers wear face masks when working.

The move follows Liberal Democrat Cllr Paul Browne expressing concern that some in Blackburn with Darwen were insisting passengers wore them while not doing so themselves.

In August the council paid £64,000. to instal Perspex screens in all of the borough’s 1,000 licensed cars and cabs to act as a coronavirus barrier between the driver and their passengers.

Darwen East ward's Cllr Browne tackled borough leader Cllr Mohammed Khan at last night's full Council Forum meeting,

He said: " Can I ask you if you will get in touch with all the people in this borough who are running taxis who are not wearing masks and yet are asking the passengers to wear masks and the drivers will not put their masks on.

"Now come on lets be fair. If you want to do the jobs, lets do it right."

Cllr Khan said: "I think we need to advise everybody to wear the masks when they are in public. We provided the safety screens for taxi drivers. I think everybody needs to do their bit to protect ourselves and to protect other people.

"I will send a message to the taxi drivers. I know there is a screen there but I think your point is valid. and we will send a message to the taxi drivers to make sure they abide by the rules."