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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Anna Lewis & Sophie McCoid

Welsh Government tells people in England not to travel to Wales after lockdown speech

The Welsh Government has said people from England are not allowed to travel to the country for exercise and could be fined by police if they do.

Counsel General and Member of the Senedd Jeremy Miles made the important clarification after Boris Johnson's speech easing lockdown rules in England on Sunday night.

Addressing the nation, the Prime Minster said those in England can now undertake "unlimited exercise" including allowing people to drive to different locations with members of the same household.

Many people in Merseyside travel to Wales for walks and days out, but this is still not allowed because the Welsh lockdown rules are different to the English.

Mr Miles said that those who travel across the border to Wales could face being fined by police - reports Wales Online.

Speaking to BBC Wales, he said: "I want to be really clear about this. The position in Wales is very different from the position in England in relation to that.

“Our regulations do not permit people to get in their cars and drive to destinations in Wales and this includes people getting in their cars in England.

“We are not permitting that in Wales.”


When asked whether someone driving from Bristol to have a walk in Wales would be fined, Mr Miles added: "The police absolutely have power to do that, the rules in Wales do not permit people to get in their cars and travel long distances for leisure purposes so if anyone does that the police has powers to fine them for doing so."

As part of the changes announced on Sunday, those who are unable to work from home in England have been encouraged to return to their workplace from Monday.

But people have been discouraged from using public transport, and to use cars, bikes or walk to work instead.


However these new changes do not apply to people in Wales after First Minster Mark Drakeford announced new lockdown conditions on Friday. 

During Sunday's speech, Mr Johnson also outlined the potential plan for lifting the UK out of lockdown for the next few months.

Shops and schools may be able to re-open in June in England, and some hospitality industries could re-open in July.

This will all depend on research and a continued drop in the number of deaths and cases, he said.

   
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