Well it appears to have been eased if the big road groups out today are to be believed !

Was out for my local home loop, 24 miles of back roads and while it was great mild weather, though rather windy, I was stunned by the number of groups of 4 plus riders out on group rides. 3 or 4 bunches of 6 plus, probably a dozen groups of 3 or 4, all in an hour and a half…

If we follow England then travel restrictions could be lifted by 17/5, my trip is planned for 21/5. A tad close for comfort!

Likely to be slower in Scotland would be my bet

I’d put money on it being slower.

There will be deviations purely for the simple fact that there can be deviations. Frankly I think everyone has given up and is doing their own version of ‘being sensible’ and as soon as stuff starts to ease there won’t be enough fingers for the dyke.

There will be deviations purely for the simple fact that there can be deviations. Frankly I think everyone has given up and is doing their own version of ‘being sensible’ and as soon as stuff starts to ease there won’t be enough fingers for the dyke.

The large groups of adults and full car park at the beach 10 minutes walk from my house on Sunday gave me the same impression. There absolutely will be pointless confusing deviations due to the upcoming elections. It would be political suicide for the SNP to now say that the best thing is for the UK to act together and that they agree with the prime minister.

Too much caution could penalise the SNP as well because people really are fed up with the lockdown.

I am praying that the SG at least follow the lead of the UK government and allow gyms to re-open around the same time :fingerscrossed:

I am praying that the SG at least follow the lead of the UK government and allow gyms to re-open around the same time :fingerscrossed:

Gyms, swimming pools and travelling for outdoor exercise should be top of the list. Of course, they wont be pubs and restaurants will be because to the general population getting 10 pints in down the pub is the most important metric of success and will be the vote winner.

Why should gyms be top of the list? High risk of infection and low utility in my book

I’d put money on it being slower.

English announcement was 5 weeks between stages, but Scotland appears to be going for 3?

More stages and less incremental differences maybe though?

Why should gyms be top of the list? High risk of infection and low utility in my book

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54540188

That data puts gyms on 2.8%, while supermarkets are 11.2%, pubs and bars are 7.4% and secondary schools are 6.8%.

https://www.ihrsa.org/about/media-center/press-releases/global-data-show-covid-19-transmission-in-gyms-is-rare/

Most importantly, there’s a looming health crisis as a result of lockdown impact on physical activity. People are moving less and eating more and drinking more. I can’t find the link but I read that alcohol related deaths have increased by 12.5% since this began. Gyms are a hugely important thing for a lot of people, even if you don’t use them.

About 930 of those said they had been to the gym – that’s 2.8% of all the common locations reported. We don’t know if they caught it at the gym – we just know they visited the gym.

Is that a lot? It’s hard to tell – you need to take into account how many people visit a gym regularly compared with, for example, a supermarket.

The point is that for the latest week, gyms came sixth on the list of common locations, ahead of people attending universities, people working in care homes and people going shopping for clothes.

I’m desperate for swimming pools to re-open but I can accept that they’re hardly a priority and are likely a higher risk than any form of outdoor exercise (even taking into account the mitigation measures employed last summer).

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tjagain
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Likely to be slower in Scotland would be my bet

Agreed, expecting to be postponing as soon as the details are known. OTOH we could be back at the silly stage of England being free to travel but should be stopping at the border. Not really sure how it’ll play out

It would be political suicide for the SNP to now say that the best thing is for the UK to act together and that they agree with the prime minister.

You say that as though his announcement was a sensible approach. “Data not Dates”, “now here’s the dates”. “Irreversible” but could be reversed if we had to (so clearly not irreversible). There are already nuances where there is disparity: P1-3 this week v’s ALL on 8th; Groups of under 12s allowed to mix outdoors in Scotland; etc. My guess is she will actually find a few things to open up before England as well as keeping some stuff closed longer. She definitely will not announce an “end date” in June. I suspect she’ll be less enthusiastic about opening pubs and more keen to allow household mixing, but not the “30 outdoors” stuff he has in his! I think there is an argument for regional variation in Scotland – and that’s a big change to what seemed to be mentioned yesterday.

So far more measured and more caveats it seems
– schools not rushing back until we are sure they are not an increase in transmission rates. Perhaps March 15th for rest of primarys, maybe some more secondary
– worried by foreign travel will import other variants which vaccine may not work on
– March 15th also more outdoor sports and youth meetings (eg scouts)
– April 5th – lots more easing in time for the holidays, complete with travel restrictions, some meeting as households outdoors, possibly more retail opening./
– April 26th moving back into level 3, hopefully.

Levelling/tiering returns 26th April.

Non-essential retail, hairdressers and gyms end of April too.

March 15 – more school return. Outdoors non-contact sports for teenagers. Adults allowed 4 from 2 households outdoors.

Mid April to remove “stay at home” guidance.

No further indicative dates until mid March.

no Easter Holidays then… Ach well, nothing booked so fair do’s.

– April 26th moving back into level 3, hopefully.

Sooooo close and yet so far, this changes nothing from an outdoor exercise/fun times point of view 😥😥

Roll on tier 2! Mid may? Maybe I could tentatively book some accommodation for then…

In my heart I think it’s the right timeframe but far out another 7 weeks of being locked doesn’t feel great esp. as it’s been like this since October. I honestly think people will just say f-it and start to move around a lot more on the England timeframe. Does seem odd i can go to Church at Easter but not be in my self contained van somewhere. Hey ho. Hopefully May.

The dates are indicative at the moment and she said that they could be brought forward if the data backs it up.

Was there a misspoken message about 5th April and schools? Most will be just starting Easter not returning full role.

timeframe but far out another 7 weeks of being locked doesn’t feel great esp. as it’s been like this since October. I honestly think people will just say f-it and start to move around a lot more

This is my concern too. Without a (hopeful) date in sight, folk are just going to ignore sensible guidance.

Roll on tier 2! Mid may? Maybe I could tentatively book some

3 week time slots for changes, so Mid-may is a possibility.

– April 5th – lots more easing in time for the holidays

Is it not the opposite – 5th April is Easter Monday – so keeping the restriction tight until past the problematic Easter weekend. Most Scottish schools reopen after Easter on 12th April so I guess it will be full steam ahead for the last term.

April 26th feels a long way away.

If indoor facilities open up and we are still subject to the horrible postcode lottery, the advice being ignored may reasonably be considered as not sensible.

In my heart I think it’s the right timeframe but far out another 7 weeks of being locked doesn’t feel great esp. as it’s been like this since October. I honestly think people will just say f-it and start to move around a lot more

Yup, and my concern too. I totally get how some folk must feel – I was hoping for an easing of the ‘stay at home’ restriction in particular, but know the data doesn’t lend itself to anytime earlier at the moment.

Gutted as my ‘local’ MTBing trails and buddies that I’d normally ride weekly with and haven’t seen since October remain just out of reach for another 6/7 weeks – and I mean legally around 5 miles out of reach. But then there’s bigger concerns than that.

I am just gutted about the whole thing. I know its right and I am confident that the scottish government are at least attempting to take the right decisions for the right reasons but I have had it with the restrictions

the aspect that really worries me is the mental toll this is taking on folk is reaching tipping point I feel and that without a summer of trade much hospitality will be finished off.

On a personal level that my 60th birthday / retirement party cancelled, my long planned long awaited big walk in doubt and my mental resilience is diminishing

TBH I think it’s probably a good sign if it’s making me go “that seems far off” rather than “That’s obviously too fast. But yep I was surprised by how demoralising I found hearing the dates.

Keep cracking on folks, you are all wonderful and I am sure we will all be OK in the long run. At least we have STW though, eh? 🙂

Yep, pish dates, pish situation, but kinda, yeah, makes sense as we really don’t want to **** this one up.

My hair’s beginning to go a bit Terry Nutkins, when the hell am I going to get to a barbers? 🤦‍♂️

I can only repeat how glad I am that I live in Aviemore and not Edinburgh, though even the latter was at least blessed with easy access to the Pentlands.

Yep, pish dates

Weirdly I probably would’ve been happier with earlier or later, just not where they’re currently sitting! Because obvs my wee trip is the most important thing in the world….. and I want to avoid midge season!

*crosses scotroutes off xmas card list*

Its true tho that this last year has been the only time I wished that I lived in the country somewhere

Yep, being in rural Speyside has made this all just about bearable, I really feel for the folks in tower blocks and/or no access to green spaces.
At least there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and whisky 😉

Spring Scotland trips cancelled for another year. Announcement makes more sense than the UK one though… wittering on about data not dates… and then laying out all the dates for the media to hang around their necks later in the year. Instead… plan a series of changes… measure the effects… check for new mutations and their characteristics… only then think about dates for more changes.

Judging by the call I had with work which had 300 people on it I’d say that patience has worn very thin esp. for areas where the rates were super low for quite a long time and are now low again. I think keeping a lid on this will be really tough and people are properly not in a good place.

Being in tier 3 in Shetland daily life’s not too problematic, baring still having to work from home.

What is depressing me is my son being off school until after the Easter hols now as it’s really not good him being home all the time. He’s doing school work, but not going out at all.

I was also hoping against hope to get back to home in North Yorkshire for easter as my grown up daughter is due to give birth at the end of March and wanting to see my Mam who quite frail and doiting a fair bit.

I’ve self catering accommodation booked for the middle of May and I’m coming from Ingerland. So if you good chaps could stop spreading it around before then I’ll be eternally grateful. I should have had at least one jab by then and the missus both. We don’t have any ankle biting superspreaders either. The tier system does seem a bit archaic already though. If the vaccines are working as appears, the broad broom approach seems grossly unfair on those who have been playing by the rules.

The tier system does seem a bit archaic already though

Really? I don’t think the folk of Shetland should have to live with the consequences of trolley-licking Glaswegians.

I’d say the chance of keeping folk who have behaved and ridden local to do so for another 7 – 8 weeks is pretty low. I’m not talking about a mass exodus to Fort William but I’d guess the tweed valley will start to get busy real soon with folks from the lothians . I’ve heard from local police that they have been briefed to not stop and question people where they are going and where they are from as Its pointless and they dont have the resources. Late April for us all to be in level 3 but possibly have tidier hair seems like no bonus at all.