To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) provide the public with the information necessary to confidently plan travel and holidays while staying safe during the covid-19 pandemic; and (b) communicate that information in a timely and accessible manner.
Answered on
10 September 2020
As we have consistently made clear, Covid-19 has profoundly changed the nature of international travel, and those who chose to travel should do so with their eyes open. It is right that we prioritise the health of the public.
There is a tension between bringing in to force regulations at pace which are designed to protect the health of the public and allowing travellers and operators the chance to consider incoming regulations. Our current approach, a Thursday announcement followed by a Saturday coming in to force date tries to straddle those concerns. It is also an approach that has been agreed across the four nations, and takes on board operational considerations at the border. However, we reserve the right to bring regulations in to force quicker if their strong public health rationale to do so.
Travel advice is available here:
[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus]
Advice on travel corridors is available here:
[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors]