- This topic has 27 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by thegeneralist.
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Scottish travel ban from Manchester
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ossifyFull Member
Does anyone have any idea when this is due for review? I cannot find any info about this (if there is any, and it’s not just “until further notice”).
We’ve had a holiday in Scotland booked for nearly a year now (on 29/July) so it’s very frustrating. Not sure whether to cancel entirely now or if there’s any point holding out hope.
Even more frustrating is that rates aren’t actually all that high here:
I live in that green patch. Rarely travel out of it, and when I do it’s to the light blue patch just above 🙁lampFree MemberJust go….do a test before you do….you can’t be more responsible than that! People are (seemingly) just doing as they please now any way.
ratherbeintobagoFull MemberMy dad reckons it’s not enforceable, though I am not sure I want to test that, and I am aware of on agency staff member we had a while ago who was stopped on the M74 going south to ask where he thought he was going in lockdown.
Having said that, rates in GM are on the up, so…
xoraFull MemberRates are through the roof here anyway so you are probably safer at home, but even during lockdown no-one was guarding the border so you can just go. I guess your accommodation might auto cancel on you based on home address but that is unlikely.
poahFree MemberJust go….do a test before you do….you can’t be more responsible than that!
Well not going would be more responsible.
The ban is enforceable up here
ossifyFull MemberRates are through the roof here anyway
They weren’t when we booked a year ago 🙁
They are now everywhere so we can’t rebook somewhere else in England either. Bah.I guess your accommodation might auto cancel on you based on home address but that is unlikely.
We already emailed them a heads up that we might need to cancel and left it up to them to cancel early if they want to rebook the place. Haven’t heard back.
thegeneralistFree MemberApologies for not getting the info from the map, but can you confirm where you live?
I’ve been tracking this with great apprehension ever since the blonde imbecile kept the Delta route open in a desperate bid to try and make Brexit less of a shitshow. I realised that ( unlike the previous bans last year) this one is Manchester ( and Blackburn, Darwen and ANother) not greater Manchester.We’re in Trafford, Timperley,so currently allowed to travel to Scotland. Are you Manc ( or one if the other three) or just greater manc?
PS, where you going? We’re off to Laggan 31 July, then Braemar
BruceFull MemberI thought the ban mentioned specific areas of Manchester like Manchester City, Salford, Bolton etc.
We have just cancelled our accommodation for next week as we live in Manchester (just).
I can’t see the justification for the ban as several areas of Scotland have no travel ban and higher numbers of cases. There appears to be no justification other than publicity for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP.
I am massively disappointed to loose my holiday for a bit of propaganda.
Thanks Nicola I really appreciate it!
thegeneralistFree MemberThanks Nicola I really appreciate it!
Hmmm. I feel that your ire is misdirected. You should be pissed at **** for keeping India flights open two weeks longer than Bangladesh and Pakistan, despite higher rates of Delta variant, in a desperate bid to close a trade deal with Modi.
None of that is Sturgeon’s fault.
trailwaggerFree MemberThere is very little info on this. I have a bikepacking trip setup for a couple of weeks time. I will be travelling to Manchester and getting on a train there for the rest of the journey to Scotland. I am assuming (in the absence of any actual official guidance) that I can do this as I do not live in Manchester and am just passing through.
polyFree MemberDoes anyone have any idea when this is due for review? I cannot find any info about this (if there is any, and it’s not just “until further notice”).
The official answer will either be (i) the restrictions will be for the minimum possible period, and are constantly under review (with routine announcements usually made on Tuesday PM’s for legislation updates at the end of the week) OR (ii) that the next major review of all covid rules in Scotland is scheduled for 19th July.
I think the 19/7 date is the scheduled legislation change so expect an announcement the week before – probably 13/7.
I live in that green patch. Rarely travel out of it, and when I do it’s to the light blue patch just above
I suppose it doesn’t really matter if you never leave the green bit, if people from the black bit end up next to you in the supermarket etc.
Just go….do a test before you do….you can’t be more responsible than that! People are (seemingly) just doing as they please now any way.
You could not go which is potentially more responsible than going on the assumption that (a) the test is infallible (b) a test before you go will detect the virus you got exposed to the day before and which makes you prime infectiousness when in Scotland.
That said – I do understand the argument. And whilst I thought Andy Burnham made a pigs ear of posturing about it, there is a very valid point that there are some areas of Scotland that are just as bad as those areas with the restrictions.
xoraFull MemberThere is very little info on this. I have a bikepacking trip setup for a couple of weeks time. I will be travelling to Manchester and getting on a train there for the rest of the journey to Scotland. I am assuming (in the absence of any actual official guidance) that I can do this as I do not live in Manchester and am just passing through.
Scottish rules have always allowed passing through higher zones from a lower zone to another lower zone so you should be fine!
ossifyFull Membercan you confirm where you live?
I thought the ban mentioned specific areas of Manchester
I live in Higher Broughton, part of Salford.
According to the map (here) Broughton is the same level as most of England south of Manc and has LOWER rates than almost all of Scotland. Did I mention this was frustrating?As Salford Central (and most of Greater Manchester) has high rates it appears we’re lumped in with them anyway.
polyFree MemberThere is very little info on this. I have a bikepacking trip setup for a couple of weeks time. I will be travelling to Manchester and getting on a train there for the rest of the journey to Scotland. I am assuming (in the absence of any actual official guidance) that I can do this as I do not live in Manchester and am just passing through.
Here’s what the regs say (my bold):
Restrictions on entering Scotland
2.—(1) A person who lives in a place within the common travel area mentioned in paragraph 4 must not enter or remain in Scotland.BruceFull MemberI would not mind the ban if it was for sound reasons but rates are higher in areas of Scotland and not subject to travel restrictions. I have only had exposure to other people at work training health care staff for the NHS. I haven’t been in a pub or restaurant or cafe since march 2020. I don’t think I am a high risk.
How the delta variant got here is beside the point.
Rampant gangs of football hooligans from Scotland can rampage round London in a mob while I can’t sea kayak on a sparsely populated part of the west of Scotland.
polyFree MemberMy dad reckons it’s not enforceable,
your dad would be wrong, although its most likely to be enforced with a fixed penalty (“Parking Ticket”) and being told to go home.
though I am not sure I want to test that, and I am aware of on agency staff member we had a while ago who was stopped on the M74 going south to ask where he thought he was going in lockdown.
the chance of getting randomly stopped to explain is tiny. Its always been small in Scotland but its impractical to stop and check for people just from Manchester-ish. However, if you got pulled over to explain your speed, a brake light not working, get a helpful cop when dealing with a puncture, have an accident, get mugged and try to report it, get hurt and need mountain rescue etc. then someone might be switched on enough to add it to your problems.
polyFree MemberI would not mind the ban if it was for sound reasons but rates are higher in areas of Scotland and not subject to travel restrictions.
That is a problem. I’m not sure the rationale behind it – perhaps there is more granular data behind it like schools v’s adults etc.
I have only had exposure to other people at work training health care staff for the NHS. I haven’t been in a pub or restaurant or cafe since march 2020. I don’t think I am a high risk.
tricky to apply the risk criteria at a personal scale though I am sure you agree? FWIW I’d say that training healthcare staff (presumably indoors) is a relatively high-risk activity.
Rampant gangs of football hooligans from Scotland can rampage round London in a mob while I can’t sea kayak on a sparsely populated part of the west of Scotland.
Were there gangs of hooligans rampaging in mobs? I only saw images of crowds partying and then some Scottish fans clearing up the mess. However, there would have been a good justification for saying no travel to the games – but that would be a decision for the English legislature, not the Scottish Government.
That sparsely populated part of Scotland also has very limited healthcare facilities so outbreaks there can be disproportionately difficult.
mattcartlidgeFull MemberWe’ve got accommodation booked near Dalbeattie for 16th July (re booked 4 times I think due to lockdowns) I’m in Trafford, mates in Little Hulton & Stockport, plan like previous years is to take everything we need and we barely need to interact with anyone else, still undecided and the accommodation haven’t made the choice for us by asking us to move the booking (again).
hairyscaryFull MemberHowever, there would have been a good justification for saying no travel to the games – but that would be a decision for the English legislature, not the Scottish Government.
Can I ask why the Scottish Government could not have made this decision?
polyFree Member@ossify – I swear the Scottish Gov read STW – your prayers have been answered:
polyFree MemberCan I ask why the Scottish Government could not have made this decision?
Because the games in question were taking place outside their jurisdiction. It’s a decision for Westminster about how public health risks in London are managed, and whether to allow fans at games and permit travel from Scotland, just as it was a Scottish Government decision regarding the games a Hampden. I suppose Scot.Gov. could have imposed a restriction on any traveller returning from England, but that would have had an impact on people who were on holiday in the lakes, visiting family in East Anglia etc – so not just “football fans”.
mattcartlidgeFull Member@POLY amazing! just had to mute teams call to scream YEESSSSSSSSS!
BruceFull MemberThanks Nicola
That’s really nice of you but I had to cancel my accommodation and book an alternative.
I am not sure I want to try and cancel and re book accommodation again and mess everybody about as it’s not exactly their fault either.
My definition of a hooligan is someone who travels to another country and parties in the street which is in breach of covid regulations
I hope all the other people who are going to Scotland have a great time.
I am absolutely gutted. Teaching students face to face long into the vacation period to make sure they pass all their clinical competencies and enable them to practice has been exhausting and I was looking forward to a nice quite break.
Unfortunately this won’t happen now this is why i am a bit grumpy, but other people have had it much worse.
ossifyFull MemberWow that’s a massive relief. We haven’t had a proper holiday for 2 years prior to the whole covid thing anyway so this is needed!
Thanks poly 🙂
thegeneralistFree MemberHi Bruce
Sorry that didn’t work out. You sound like you could use a break. Best of luck
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