Police have been told they have “no powers” to enforce the two-metre social distancing rule in England.
As changes to the coronavirus lockdown measures come into force on Wednesday, people will be able to spend an unlimited amount of time outside while manufacturing and construction workers head back to their jobs.
Meanwhile, the Government is also advising that people stay two-metres away from each other, avoid public transport and wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces to stem the spread of Covid-19.
But, fresh guidelines issued by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council reveal that police are unable to enforce the two-metre rule.
The guidelines urges officers to only act on what is written in law, adding that the “Government guidance is not enforceable, for example two-metre distancing, avoiding public transport or the wearing of face coverings in enclosed spaces”.
The advice was set out in a document published on Wednesday after being sent out to forces on Tuesday night, follows the updated coronavirus legislation coming into force.
Neither the original Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 from March 26 nor the amended enacted at 12.01am on Wednesday address social distancing specifically.
This means keeping two metres (6ft) apart in certain circumstances is not a legal requirement.
It comes as National Police Chiefs' Council chairman Martin Hewitt said that the two-metre social distancing is not enshrined in law.
He told Sky News that it is "not a policing role" to enforce two-metre social distancing - insisting it's an "individual responsibility".
"We are not in a position to police the two-metre social distancing."
