good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the rmt union has suspended strike action planned from tomorrow, after the train operating companies promised to table a pay offer. the union has said it will now enter into a period of negotiations with network rail and the operators, meaning the walkouts planned for tomorrow, and november 7th and 9th are off. let s get more on this from our transport correspondent katy austin. i think that this was unexpected. yes, this is a significant moment, i think. this is the first time in a quite long running dispute that the rmt have called off, or suspended plant strike action for the purpose of facilitating more talks. now the rmt says eight has now had a commitment from the train companies, there will be an offer made because there will be an offer made because there has not been an offer made so far. they also say that network rail has now committed to talks without conditions attached. speaking to people in the rail industry, they say the
bus and rail industry groups have said they won t require passengers to wear them. in scotland, first minister nicola sturgeon will announce today whether its restrictions can be eased next monday, as planned. wales is due to review its restrictions on wednesday, and northern ireland is due to ease some covid measures on july the 26th. the peak of the current wave of infections is not expected before mid august. this ward in middlesbrough is getting ready for a surge in patients. there is uncertainty about how the virus will spread in coming months. this will be a delicate balancing act. aruna iyengar, bbc news. dr chaand nagpaul, council chair of the british medical association, who was featured in that report, joins me now. thank you forjoining us today. i think it s fair to say, putting it simply, you are pretty dismayed by what the prime ministers said
is this is the right date, or as good as any other date, to do this. but it s got to be taken seriously. but the british medical association says there is a better time to do it, when more of the population has been fully vaccinated and when cases aren t rising so rapidly. we cannot see any sense in why the government is removing the requirement for people to be protecting one another in a crowded underground train or a bus, or in a crowded shop. it makes no sense to be knowingly accepting increasing the infection at a time when in fact that infection rise is translating into increased hospitalisation. from the 19th, wearing a mask on public transport will be a matter of personal responsibility rather than the law in england. bus and rail industry groups have said they won t require passengers to wear them. in scotland, first minister nicola sturgeon will announce today whether its restrictions can be
but is still pressing ahead to ease restrictions next monday. what the scientists are saying is this is the right date, or as good as any other date, to do this. but it s got to be taken seriously. but the british medical association says there is a better time to do it, when more of the population has been fully vaccinated and when cases are not rising so rapidly. we cannot see any sense in why the government is removing the requirement for people to be protecting one another in a crowded underground train or a bus, or in a crowded shop. it makes no sense to be knowingly accepting increasing the infection at a time when in fact that infection rise is translating into increased hospitalisation. from the 19th, wearing a mask on public transport will be a matter of personal responsibility rather than the law in england. bus and rail industry groups have said they won t require
accepting increasing the infection at a time when in fact that infection rise is translating into increased hospitalisation. from the 19th, wearing a mask on public transport will be a matter of personal responsibility rather than the law in england. bus and rail industry groups have said they won t require passengers to wear them. the peak of the current wave of infections is not in scotland, first minister nicola sturgeon will announce today whether its restrictions can be eased next monday, as is planned. wales is due to review its restrictions on thursday, and northern ireland is due to ease some covid measures on the 26th ofjuly. the peak of the current wave of infections is not expected before mid august. this ward in middlesbrough is getting ready for a surge in patients. there is uncertainty about how the virus will spread in coming months. this will be a delicate balancing act.