Don’t travel for days out despite February half-term next week, warn police or face fines up to £6,400
POLICE are warning Brits to stay away from popular beauty spots next week as they fear of rule-breaking during half-term. The current rules in lockdown prevent non-essential travel, which includes travelling around the UK. However, with the school break coming up next week, many families may try and travel to parts of Britain despite the […]
POLICE are warning Brits to stay away from popular beauty spots next week as they fear of rule-breaking during half-term.
The current rules in lockdown prevent non-essential travel, which includes travelling around the UK.
However, with the school break coming up next week, many families may try and travel to parts of Britain despite the rules.
This means not leaving your local area, with reports of some people travelling more than 100 miles across the country.
Rule-breakers will be fined £200 for the first offence – but will double per offence with a maximum £6,400 fine given.
Police in the south-west, which attracts tourists to popular locations such as Devon and Cornwall, tweeted: “Stay local, Devon and Cornwall will become you back soon.”
Britons have been urged not to travel to tourist hotspots over next week’s half-term holiday, with police warning of steep fines for those making unnecessary trips.
Dorset’s chief constable James Vaughan warned: “The Government states that local means staying within your village, town or city.
“It does not mean travelling for over 100 miles from out of the county to visit Dorset’s beaches, countryside or beauty spots. This is not within the spirit of the legislation.
“If people are found to have travelled unnecessarily and in blatant breach of the rules, they could be handed a £200 fine and turned around.”
North Yorkshire Superintendent Mike Walker said: “Half-term holidays are fast approaching and after juggling the stresses and strains of working from home and home-schooling, there may be the temptation to get out of the house and take a family day trip to the coast, or visit a Dales beauty spot. But now is not the time.
“Officers will be patrolling and we will be visiting popular tourist spots.
“We will be proactive in engaging with members of the public, asking the reason for their journey and we will take enforcement action if anyone is outside their home without a reasonable excuse. So please save yourselves a wasted trip and £200 and stay home and stay local.”
Most read in Travel
Other rule-breakers who have been caught in recent weeks include an 100-mile journey from Swindon to Tewkesbury to “deliver a birthday card”, and a 240-mile trip from Manchester to Whitby to Whitby Abbey.
Fears for a UK holiday at all this year have arisen after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned everyone needs to be vaccinated before they can go ahead.
Speaking on Sky News earlier this week, he explained: “The truth is we just don’t know how the virus will respond to both to the vaccines and of course how people will respond.
“I’m afraid I can’t give you a definitive, will there or will there not be the opportunity to take holidays this next year either at home or abroad.”