Sheffield City Council has announced 400 Covid-19 secure packages for taxi drivers in Sheffield, in aim to keep the drivers safe as lockdown restrictions ease.

Around 2,000 drivers have a licence to operate in the city and the council and the Pakistan Muslim Centre, PMC, have collaborated to offer drivers free face coverings and hand sanitisers.

Hafeas Rehman of PMC and the CABS project, said: “We are happy to work with the Council and CABS project to actively support this project and help make Sheffield taxis a safer fleet to work and travel in.”

The taxi drivers will be given the packages on a first-come, first-served basis and will be able to pick the packages up at PMC centre on Woodburn Road on Wednesday 24 March between 11am and 2.30pm.

Greg Fell, Director of Public Health for Sheffield, said that taxis should be “opening windows for ventilation” as he gave advice surrounding taxis and coronavirus in Sheffield. Mr Fell said it is important taxi drivers are protecting themselves as they help key workers and the public in essential journeys.

The council said it wanted to work with taxi drivers to keep them safe and reduce the number of drivers at risk when doing their job. It is giving advice to drivers including turning customers away if they are not wearing a mask, unless they are exempt.

Councillor Julie Grocutt, Cabinet Member for Transport and Development at Sheffield City Council, said: “As we look towards lockdown restrictions starting to lift and more people able to travel around our city for non-essential purposes, it is really important that we still make sure people are as safe as possible when doing so.

“The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t over yet and we still need to be careful, until more people are vaccinated and infection rates are lower – so I’m encouraging Sheffield’s taxi drivers to be prepared and take advantage of the free secure packs on offer to them.”

Taxi drivers will need to show their taxi ID badge to collect the packages, with the packages distributed in a Covid-safe way.