admin
LONDON. – British people attempting to go on vacation while travel restrictions are still in place could face a £5 000 fine under new government legislation.
The UK’s new “Roadmap Regulations,” released on Monday, propose that anyone traveling outside England “without a reasonable excuse” should face a fine of £5 000.
The legislation – coming a year after the UK first entered lockdown – will be voted on by parliament today. If passed, the £5 000 fixed penalty will come into force Monday.
Under Covid-19 restrictions, non-essential travel is currently banned. Under the “Stay at Home” order, anyone leaving the country must fill out a travel declaration form, explaining the nature of their trip. UK residents returning home are quizzed by border staff on the reasons they travelled.
Currently, the penalty is £200 for not filling out a travel declaration form.
The new law is set to remain in place until June 30, meaning non-essential travel would be banned for another three months. Until now, the earliest date for the resumption of international travel had been slated as May 17. Government officials have repeatedly warned the public that there is no certainty that they will be able to take vacations abroad this summer. Travellers entering England or Wales from Red List countries must quarantine for 10 days in a hotel on arrival, at a cost of £1 750 per person. – CNN
Online Reporter