(CNN) – Britons who try to go on vacation while travel restrictions are still in effect could face a $ 7,000 fine under new government legislation.
The new UK “Roadmap Regulations”, released on Monday, propose that anyone who travels outside of England “without a reasonable excuse” faces a £ 5,000 ($ 6,932) fine.
The legislation – which comes a year after the United Kingdom comes to a standstill for the first time – will be voted on by parliament on Thursday.
Under Covid-19 restrictions, non-essential travel is currently prohibited. In the “Stay at home” request, those leaving the country must fill out a travel declaration form, explaining the nature of the trip. UK residents returning home are asked by border officials about the reasons why they traveled.
Currently, the fine is £ 200 for not filling out a travel declaration form.
If approved, the £ 5,000 fixed penalty will take effect on Monday, March 29.
The new law is expected to remain in effect until June 30, which means that non-essential travel would be banned for another three months. So far, the closest date for resumption of international travel has been set for May 17.
Europe on the Red List?
It is said that France could end up on the UK’s Red List.
Shutterstock
Government officials have repeatedly warned the public that there is no certainty that they will be able to take a vacation abroad this summer.
On Monday, Health Minister Lord Bethell suggested that all of Europe could end up in the UK’s “Red List” of countries with dangerously high levels of Covid-19. His boss, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, said there are no plans for that at the moment.
Travelers entering England or Wales from Red List countries must be quarantined for 10 days at a hotel on arrival, at a cost of £ 1,750 ($ 2,400) per person.
At the moment, no European country is there, although there is a possibility that France will enter it, after an increase in cases with the South African variant. Portugal was removed from the list after a drop in the number of cases.
If approved, the travel ban will be reviewed by April 12 and again every 35 days.
The legislation proposes fines for people at airports or “boarding points for the purpose of traveling from there to a destination outside the United Kingdom”.
The £ 200 fine for those caught without a completed travel declaration form, even if traveling for essential reasons, will remain.
Exemptions from legislation include those for whom it is “reasonably necessary” to travel to work, volunteer or study abroad. People traveling for a certain number of emergencies are also exempt, as are those who reside abroad.
Those traveling to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland are also exempt. However, traveling to Ireland and then flying to another country will incur a £ 5,000 fine.
The Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish governments make their own travel decisions. Currently, Wales is in line with England’s guidance and Scotland imposes a 10-day quarantine on state-run facilities on all travelers, regardless of where they are coming from.
So far, Scotland and Wales have appointed May 17 as the first potential date for international travel, along with England. Northern Ireland had yet to make any pronouncements.
Introducing the bill, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a statement:
“These measures have been vital for reducing infections, hospitalizations and deaths across the country and, thanks to people’s commitment and support, we have made great progress.
“We are just closing as many national measures as safely as possible, while maintaining those that remain necessary and proportionate to help reduce and control infections even more, while being cautious, but irreversibly, we have eased restrictions and our historic vaccination program continues to accelerate. “