Government confirms mandatory testing for all inbound travellers
Passengers coming to England face fines if they fail to comply with new testing requirements as part of new measures introduced today.
From next week all international arrivals, including UK nationals, will be required to present a negative coronavirus test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure.
Passengers refusing to comply will be subject to an on-the-spot fine of £500, the Department of Transport said. The UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrival into England.
The measures come some 10 months after the outbreak of the virus in the UK, with many countries already requiring passengers to provide proof of a negative test.
The government said the measures will “help protect against the new strains of coronavirus such as those seen in Denmark and South Africa.”
There has been a worrying surge in positive cases in the UK since a mutant strain was discovered last month, with hospitalisations rising sharply.
“Taken together with the existing mandatory self-isolation period for passengers returning from high-risk countries, pre-departure tests will provide a further line of defence – helping us control the virus as we roll out the vaccine at pace over the coming weeks,” transport secretary Grant Shapps said.
Aviation industry welcomes long sought-after measures
The move will be welcomed by the aviation industry which has called for a robust testing scheme for months prior to the new strain.
“Having called for the introduction of pre-departure testing since last April, we support this development which ensures passengers can continue to travel safely,” Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye said.
“The Government must now prioritise the creation of a common international standard for testing that would introduce a global process to protect confidence in future travel.”
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry association Airlines UK echoed this sentiment. “We recognise the UK Government’s need to act now and support the introduction of pre-departure testing in order to keep the country safe and borders open.”
“However, this should be a short-term, emergency measure only and once the roll-out of the vaccine accelerates, the focus must be on returning travel to normal as quickly as possible in order to support the UK’s economic recovery. This includes removing the need to quarantine or test as the UK population is vaccinated and the virus is brought under control at home and abroad,” he added.
The aviation industry has been battered by the pandemic with the latest lockdown effectively grounding them once again.
“The Government must make good on its promise to support this vital sector with the full business rates relief which has been extended to other industries,” said Holland-Kaye.
Passengers arriving from countries on the government’s quarantine list must still self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their test result “to provide further robust protection from those travelling from high-risk countries.”
Passengers arriving from a country on the government’s travel corridor list who have demonstrated a negative test result will still have the option to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to 5 days by paying for a test through the Test to Release scheme.
On Thursday London Southend airport called on the government to pay for pre-departure testing once the latest lockdown restrictions are lifted.