Railway attraction installs panic buttons after backlash from anti-maskers

A railway attraction has had to install panic buttons following a backlash from anti-maskers.

Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, located in Shropshire, has also put CCTV and walkie-talkies in place after staff were confronted by guests who refused to wear face coverings.

Strict mask policies were introduced as soon as they were introduced in order to protect passengers and the elderly staff at the facility, who are classed as key workers.

Management said that the initial intervention of police had briefly calmed the issue, but claimed they have again been targeted by “activists and thugs”.

Dr Malvern Tipping, the chairman of the cliff railway, said lifetime bans could be issued for those who “paid no regard” to social distancing measures.

"Instead they have pushed through roped-off areas and barged past passenger queues to confront staff,” he said.

"In the last week the harassment of staff has been intensified with activists screaming abuse and posting photographs of them on social media with abusive language peppered with expletives.”

Dr Tipping proceeded to claim that the disquiet relating to face masks on the railway was “being perpetrated by outsiders and non-passengers”, and follows an anti-mask protest that took place last week at the nearby Bridgnorth Town Hall.

West Mercia Police Chief Inspector Mark Reilly said any potential issues at the railway are “always discussed with the local sergeants”.

"At this time we have received no reports of violent or threatening behaviour at the premises or reports of anti-face mask protestors being at the site,” he said.