North East council leaders want to ดาวน์โหลดslotxo make face masks a legal requirement on the region's public transport after 19 July.
Seven councils have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeking similar powers to Transport for London, which has made masks compulsory after national rules are eased on Monday.
Gateshead leader Martin Gannon said masks are "not a huge imposition".
Mr Johnson has advised people should wear masks in crowded public places.
Mr Gannon said he had written to the government on behalf of Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham councils.
He said the rise in infections across the region is "really significant" and measures such as face masks on public transport should still be kept in place to attempt to reduce the spread.
Doctors have also called for masks to remain mandatory in the region, which has nine of the top 10 worst-affected areas of England.
Mr Gannon, the transport lead for the seven councils, told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I absolutely understand London's position. That's something we would want to see here."
He said the North East councils do not have the power to legally require and enforce mask wearing, adding: "Having different rules across different operators would only create further confusion and resistance.
"We need consistency across the whole service. We are advising people [to use masks] but we haven't got the power to legally enforce it."
Mr Gannon said he hoped the "pressure will mount" on the government to "do the right thing" and making masks legally required was a "really important signal" which "makes it socially unacceptable to breach it".