New guidance has been issued to police forces on when it is acceptable to punish people for traveling.
It comes as some forces were criticised for heavy-handed tactics in enforcing social distancing rules.
Police forces have been told by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing that people should not be sanctioned for travelling a “reasonable distance” to exercise.
The new guidance also states that road checks on every vehicle are “disproportionate”.
Officers have been urged to use "common sense" and to be "consistent" in their tactics.
The guidance says: “Use your judgement and common sense; for example, people will want to exercise locally and may need to travel to do so, we don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise.
“Road checks on every vehicle is equally disproportionate. We should reserve enforcement only for individuals who have not responded to engage, explain, and encourage, where public health is at risk.”
People have been told to stay at home unless they need to shop for essentials, leave their home for medical needs or if they have to go to work.
The government says it is also acceptable to leave home for exercise once a day.
Officers can fine anybody seen flouting the rules and are being told to break up social gatherings of more than two people.
But some forces have been criticised for their approach to the guidelines.
Derbyshire Police faced a backlash for filming walkers with drones to deter visitors to the Peak District, while North Yorkshire Police stopped motorists at “checkpoints” last week.
Derbyshire Police Chief Constable Peter Goodman defended the tactic and said he wanted to start a “conversation” after elderly residents were left “frightened to death” following an influx of visitors the previous weekend.
The updated guidance says policing should be “by consent” with the initial response to “encourage voluntary compliance”.
It states that "enforcement should be a last resort”.
Some forces say they have not yet had to use the new powers brought in, while others have issued large numbers of fines already.
Derbyshire Police said on Tuesday it had not used the new powers once, while Lancashire Police issued 123 fines for breaches of the rules over the weekend.
