What travel restrictions change from the 29th March?

[Watershed]

I remember in June last year, a big deal was made about how it was illegal to spend a night away from home (presumably normal exceptions about work etc applied). Was this ever the law or just assumed?

It was actually the law. As with all these things, the government's tendency has been to pile on the restrictions just in case they work, and then belatedly withdraw the ones that don't.

 

[Mojo]

It was actually the law. As with all these things, the government's tendency has been to pile on the restrictions just in case they work, and then belatedly withdraw the ones that don't.

Interesting therefore this time that it isn’t actually in the law..! I suppose the reopening of self contained accommodation two weeks later makes it a bit pointless.

 

[HST43257]

Ok so are we looking at:

29th March: Anything is fine but local advised - ideally not leaving county
12th April: Domestic - No questions asked

 

[Watershed]

Ok so are we looking at:

29th March: Anything is fine but local advised - ideally not leaving county
12th April: Domestic - No questions asked

I'm still not sure where you get the idea of not leaving your county or local area? Government guidance has been to limit your travel to an area much more restricted than that - within your own village or town, or the part of the city you live in.

But the government guidance can say what it wants - all domestic travel will be legal come March 29.

 

[nlogax]

29th March: Anything is fine but local advised - ideally not leaving county

No-one's going to be stopping you leaving North Yorkshire. For me the 29th says go as far as you like for the day. I genuinely wouldn't worry about it.

 

[yorkie]

Ok so are we looking at:

29th March: Anything is fine but local advised - ideally not leaving county
12th April: Domestic - No questions asked

For the legal position, see:

Revised English Covid Regulations from 29 March 2021

Following on from my previous thread on English Covid Regs from 8 March, this thread is for discussion of the revised English Covid Regs from 29 March 2021. As always, barrister Adam Wagner gives a good layman's summary of the changes. All of England is placed into Step 1, which is effectively...

www.railforums.co.uk

The guidance is:

COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021 (Summary)

www.gov.uk

Travel​

The ‘stay at home’ rule will end on 29 March but many restrictions will remain in place. People should continue to work from home where they can and minimise the number of journeys they make where possible, avoiding travel at the busiest times and routes. Travel abroad will continue to be prohibited, other than for a small number of permitted reasons. Holidays abroad will not be allowed, given it will remain important to manage the risk of imported variants and protect the vaccination programme. The government has launched a new taskforce to review global travel which will report on 12 April.

 

[HST43257]

For the legal position, see:

Revised English Covid Regulations from 29 March 2021

Following on from my previous thread on English Covid Regs from 8 March, this thread is for discussion of the revised English Covid Regs from 29 March 2021. As always, barrister Adam Wagner gives a good layman's summary of the changes. All of England is placed into Step 1, which is effectively...

www.railforums.co.uk

The guidance is:

COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021 (Summary)

www.gov.uk

Ok so:

we won’t stop you, but try to keep yourselves safe

Sound about correct?

 

[STINT47]

I wonder if the train operators will amend their advice next week?

Looking at the legal side next Monday I will be ok to use the train to travel from my home in Nottingham to Matlock for a long walk in the countryside. I just hope that when using the service I'm not blasted by a series of announcements and see a load of posters about key workers and non essential travel.

EMR were not great with this last time and even had a pop up on their website that you had to click saying that your journey was essential. It was most annoying.

 

[Watershed]

I wonder if the train operators will amend their advice next week?

Looking at the legal side next Monday I will be ok to use the train to travel from my home in Nottingham to Matlock for a long walk in the countryside. I just hope that when using the service I'm not blasted by a series of announcements and see a load of posters about key workers and non essential travel.

EMR were not great with this last time and even had a pop up on their website that you had to click saying that your journey was essential. It was most annoying.

Oh, you can be sure the guidance posturing will continue until we are back in lockdown. Maybe then they will get round to removing it!

 

[birchesgreen]

I wonder if the train operators will amend their advice next week?

Looking at the legal side next Monday I will be ok to use the train to travel from my home in Nottingham to Matlock for a long walk in the countryside. I just hope that when using the service I'm not blasted by a series of announcements and see a load of posters about key workers and non essential travel.

EMR were not great with this last time and even had a pop up on their website that you had to click saying that your journey was essential. It was most annoying.

I've been on a few WMR trains over the last week, no nagging announcements and didn't notice any posters (on the trains anyway) about essential travel, key workers blah blah. Hopefully other TOCs will be the same.

 

[Silver Cobra]

I’ll give Thameslink credit that they have had very little prevalence of ‘essential travel only’ on their trains and website, nor have I seen anything specific at either Arlesey or Biggleswade stations. While the website does have a moderately-sized message of ‘Only travel if you have to’, that’s a more open message than ‘essential travel only’. For instance, you could take that message as saying ‘use the train if you don’t have other means to travel’.

 

[Planesandtrain]

I've been impressed with South Western Railways' complete ignorance of pushing the 'essential travel only rule'. Instead, their slogan is 'travel with confidence' which is much more welcoming.

 

[Cdd89]

SET too, who have invested in a massive billboard at Elephant and Castle saying how safe they are (with the slogan safeeastern), and have strongly implied they should be your first choice for leisure travel. Presumably to try and encourage SET connections rather than competitors.

The negative messaging is mostly from TfL in my experience.

 

[nlogax]

I've been impressed with South Western Railways' complete ignorance of pushing the 'essential travel only rule'. Instead, their slogan is 'travel with confidence' which is much more welcoming.

Definitely a positive. With SWR having quite a lot of commuters in SW London and the home counties who still need to get to work during Covid I didn't really expect them to relay any other message than 'you'll be fine with us'.

 

[rg177]

I assume that all restrictions are also lifted on domestic flights? Spotted myself a rather cheap Newcastle to London BA flight for April 16th then a colleague said I was mad because restrictions to flying would continue to apply for the foreseeable. Just to see some friends for the afternoon (beer gardens and shops of course open at the start of that week)

I assume they've got their wires crossed with international travel (which won't be allowed on this date)?

On the subject of "Essential Travel Only" I'm hoping that Northern will stop plastering their stations with such messaging from next week as last time around they seemed to be keen on chasing punters away for weeks later than necessary.

 

[nlogax]

I assume that all restrictions are also lifted on domestic flights? Spotted myself a rather cheap Newcastle to London BA flight for April 16th then a colleague said I was mad because restrictions to flying would continue to apply for the foreseeable. Just to see some friends for the afternoon (beer gardens and shops of course open at the start of that week)

Domestic flights have been running all the while, albeit in a limited fashion. Barely any policing of those from what I've experienced. It looks like there's been a general assumption that if you've made the effort to get yourself along to an airport then you obviously have a valid reason to fly. You should be fine.

 

[rg177]

Domestic flights have been running all the while, albeit in a limited fashion. Barely any policing of those from what I've experienced. It looks like there's been a general assumption that if you've made the effort to get yourself along to an airport then you obviously have a valid reason to fly. You should be fine.

All the Airlines just seem to say "refer to lockdown restrictions" for flights within the UK/Ireland, so i thought as much.

 

[Watershed]

I assume that all restrictions are also lifted on domestic flights? Spotted myself a rather cheap Newcastle to London BA flight for April 16th then a colleague said I was mad because restrictions to flying would continue to apply for the foreseeable. Just to see some friends for the afternoon (beer gardens and shops of course open at the start of that week)

I assume they've got their wires crossed with international travel (which won't be allowed on this date)?

On the subject of "Essential Travel Only" I'm hoping that Northern will stop plastering their stations with such messaging from next week as last time around they seemed to be keen on chasing punters away for weeks later than necessary.

Yep, none of these restrictions are mode specific. Travel within the CTA, including flights, will be 100% legal from an English perspective (of course laws may differ in other parts of the CTA but that does not concern you if travelling to Newcastle).

 

[LAX54]

Ok so are we looking at:

29th March: Anything is fine but local advised - ideally not leaving county
12th April: Domestic - No questions asked

Just talking to a guy at work, he had an emial from a hotel chain today, he was booked to stay a night away with his other half, (May 1st) think it was a bout 200 miles from his home, anyway had a call saying they have had to cancel his booking as the stay would not comply with planned guidance, but welcome to rebook for May 17th or later

I wonder if the train operators will amend their advice next week?

Looking at the legal side next Monday I will be ok to use the train to travel from my home in Nottingham to Matlock for a long walk in the countryside. I just hope that when using the service I'm not blasted by a series of announcements and see a load of posters about key workers and non essential travel.

EMR were not great with this last time and even had a pop up on their website that you had to click saying that your journey was essential. It was most annoying.

What's going to happen on 29 March?

• People will be allowed to meet outside, either with one other household or within the "rule of six", including in private gardens
• The stay at home rule will end, but the government will urge people to stay local as much as possible
• Outdoor sport facilities will reopen, including golf courses and tennis and basketball courts, and formally organised outdoor sports can restart
• Weddings can take place, attended by up to six people

I assume the 'stay local' is the key word ?

 

[Kite159]

Just talking to a guy at work, he had an emial from a hotel chain today, he was booked to stay a night away with his other half, (May 1st) think it was a bout 200 miles from his home, anyway had a call saying they have had to cancel his booking as the stay would not comply with planned guidance, but welcome to rebook for May 17th or later

Premier Inn by any chance?

I had a booking for the 23rd April in Ipswich and had an email saying:

We’re getting in touch to let you know about some changes to our hotels in England following recent government guidance.

Due to the restrictions that are in effect across England, overnight stays for holidays and leisure purposes will not be allowed on the dates you have booked to stay with us. However, during this period, individuals will still be allowed to stay with us for work purposes, education or other legally permitted reasons.

Please check the latest government criteria to make sure you’re eligible to stay with us during these restrictions. If your stay doesn’t meet the criteria, we are not legally able to accommodate you and you’ll either need to amend your booking before 1pm on the day of arrival to a date after the restrictions have been lifted or cancel your stay and receive a full refund. We do however reserve the right to contact the police and/or local authority where we believe a stay is not permitted by law. This applies to all bookings during this period – if you’ve made multiple bookings that will be affected by the new restrictions, please amend or cancel each one if you’re no longer eligible to stay.

So thankfully I managed to cancel my booking to get the money back, as I will probably use the Easy Hotel the next attempt at doing that late night Sudbury - Colchester service as that tends to be the cheapest option.

-------

Stay local is just the guidance, nothing in the actual legislation for distance limits. Besides what does "local" mean?

 

[LAX54]

Premier Inn by any chance?

I had a booking for the 23rd April in Ipswich and had an email saying:


So thankfully I managed to cancel my booking to get the money back, as I will probably use the Easy Hotel the next attempt at doing that late night Sudbury - Colchester service as that tends to be the cheapest option.

-------

Stay local is just the guidance, nothing in the actual legislation for distance limits. Besides what does "local" mean?

It was Premier Inn. (Mate was a bit jarred off, he was looking forward to it)

 

[Watershed]

Premier Inn by any chance?

I had a booking for the 23rd April in Ipswich and had an email saying:


So thankfully I managed to cancel my booking to get the money back, as I will probably use the Easy Hotel the next attempt at doing that late night Sudbury - Colchester service as that tends to be the cheapest option.

-------

Stay local is just the guidance, nothing in the actual legislation for distance limits. Besides what does "local" mean?

They are scaremongering, in a sense.

There is no prohibition on overnight stays away from home. Come 29 March, you would not be committing an offence if you stayed at a Premier Inn (other hotels are available).

However, under Steps 1 (29 March) and 2 (currently intended to be 12 April) of the new Regulations, hotels are prohibited from opening other than to provide accommodation those who fall within the categories defined in the legislation - broadly speaking, people who have no reasonable alternative but to stay in a hotel.

Therefore if they contacted the police or local authority all they would be doing would be opening themselves up to potential criminal liability for letting you stay!

It was Premier Inn. (Mate was a bit jarred off, he was looking forward to it)

Quite understandable. It looks as if Wales and Scotland are opening up their accommodation industries earlier than England, so provided they relax their current (largely nominal) bans on entry from England, that could be an entirely legal option.

 

[HST43257]

Stay local is just the guidance, nothing in the actual legislation for distance limits. Besides what does "local" mean?

Agreed, it’s so vague. Could be anything from a couple of miles to your full county. Given it’s not legislation and we have no clear indication of what local is AFAIK, I’m tempted to ignore the guidance and just get on with longer distance domestic travel, since its the end of Stay at Home.

 

[Ediswan]

I suspect all the English honeypot destinations are already making their plans.

 

[sjpowermac]

Agreed, it’s so vague. Could be anything from a couple of miles to your full county. Given it’s not legislation and we have no clear indication of what local is AFAIK, I’m tempted to ignore the guidance and just get on with longer distance domestic travel, since its the end of Stay at Home.

With three Class 68 diagrams between York and Scarborough from Monday, lots to see locally, I’ve got my season ticket sorted

 

[LAX54]

They are scaremongering, in a sense.

There is no prohibition on overnight stays away from home. Come 29 March, you would not be committing an offence if you stayed at a Premier Inn (other hotels are available).

However, under Steps 1 (29 March) and 2 (currently intended to be 12 April) of the new Regulations, hotels are prohibited from opening other than to provide accommodation those who fall within the categories defined in the legislation - broadly speaking, people who have no reasonable alternative but to stay in a hotel.

Therefore if they contacted the police or local authority all they would be doing would be opening themselves up to potential criminal liability for letting you stay!


Quite understandable. It looks as if Wales and Scotland are opening up their accommodation industries earlier than England, so provided they relax their current (largely nominal) bans on entry from England, that could be an entirely legal option.

With Prem Inn, I assume if you arrive with a briefcase and a suit, you will be 'OK', but suitcase, Hawaiian shirt with a bucket and spade.... they may think, 'strange business he / she is in'

 

[Huntergreed]

With Prem Inn, I assume if you arrive with a briefcase and a suit, you will be 'OK', but suitcase, Hawaiian shirt with a bucket and spade.... they may think, 'strange business he / she is in'

My advice, turn up with a briefcase and a suit, with a Hawaiian shirt, bucket and spade inside said briefcase

 

[STINT47]

My advice, turn up with a briefcase and a suit, with a Hawaiian shirt, bucket and spade inside said briefcase

What about people who work for companies that allow people to wear casual clothes at work? It's becoming more common.

On a more serious note the rules and guidelines are vague. What is local? And in any case staying local is guidance, which can be discarded.

 

[matt]

I'm not sure where people are reading the stay local guidance? The only thing published so far is the roadmap which says

minimise the number of journeys they make where possible, avoiding travel at the busiest times and routes.

plus the legislation which doesn't mention it at all.

 

[route101]

Still stay local in Scotland until 26th of April.