Don’t chance a travel fine
Police chief’s warning to drivers not to cross Border
POLICE will stop motorists and issue fines if they break the cross-Border travel ban, Scotland’s Chief Constable has warned.
In a major strengthening of the approach to enforcing the restrictions, Iain Livingstone said there would be a ‘significant increase’ in police numbers in the coming days.
He warned motorists they are more likely to be asked to pull over if they are suspected of breaking the rules, with cars and vans carrying large amounts of luggage or several passengers among those likely to be stopped and checked.
It comes as Nicola Sturgeon urged people not to travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK unless it is essential.
Since the weekend, Police Scotland has doubled the number of officers patrolling the Border, while British Transport Police (BTP) has also increased the number of its officers deployed at railway stations across Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing yesterday, Mr Livingstone said there would be more officers on the roads across Scotland, but particularly near the Border with England.
He added: ‘There will be a significant increase of visible presence.
But as I said, I also expect there to be a reduction, if you like, in the public being on the roads and moving around. ‘And therefore my expectation, my hope and my intent in terms of doubling the number of resources is that actually you will see a really significant impact.’ Mr Livingstone warned those breaking the rules that they might be stopped, but urged them not to ‘chance it’.
He said officers would use ‘common sense’ to decide if fixed penalties are necessary any time they encounter someone breaking the cross-Border ban.
He added: ‘Other circumstances will be as normal – if there is a tail-light or somebody is driving erratically, or the car is very full – very full of people or very full of luggage – these issues are all to do with common sense and discretion.
‘The very fact you’re stopped does not necessarily mean that there will be enforcement that will flow from that. The circumstance will still be judged by the officers and if somebody is travelling for a legitimate reason in their judgment, they will continue.
‘The key thing is not to think about “I might get away with it or I might not”. Do the right thing, make yourself aware of what’s required of you and how you can make a contribution to stop this virus spreading.’
Mr Livingstone acknowledged that coronavirus rules have been ‘highly restrictive’ and ‘at times can be difficult to fully understand’. He also admitted that enforcement is ‘not without challenge’ for Police Scotland.
Although he still stressed that check points and roadblocks are not appropriate to enforce restrictions, he said people can expect larger numbers of officers patrolling the roads.
He said: ‘I do expect the roads to be quieter than usual over the coming days. Taken together, this will mean greater police presence and thus greater potential engagement f or citizens with police officers over the festive period.’
A legally binding ban on travel between Scotland and other parts
of the UK was brought in last month but enforcement is being stepped up amid concerns about the spread of the new strain of the virus.
Asked if reasons people give for making journeys would be checked by officers, Mr Livingstone said he thinks it would be ‘excessive’ and ‘disproportionate’ to ask people to carry identity papers or written authority to travel.
However, he added that ‘ where required, yes, there will be a followthrough in terms of some investigation’. He said: ‘ We will act in a fair and proportionate manner, we will seek to minimise the level of intrusion into private life, just as we would in private homes. But where there is a flagrant breach, we will act and if that requires a follow-through in terms of investigation, that will take place.’
Miss Sturgeon said people should only travel to or from other parts of the UK if it is ‘absolutely essential’. She said the list of allowable exceptions remained the same as previously but stressed that people should work from home if possible and only travel if it is ‘absolutely unavoidable’.
She added: ‘We are trying to sit very much within the culture of policing and law and order in Scotland but also reflect the fact that the vast majority of people do want to and have been doing the right thing for the right reasons.’
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: ‘Given that there are a range of essential travel exemptions in place, we need the police to act in a sensitive and helpful fashion and not get too heavy- handed i n making sure people are doing the right thing.’
‘Fair and proportionate’