A greener light

Not before time the Government has scrapped the “traffic light” system governing foreign travel during the pandemic. This regime has been kept in place for far too long. While other European countries were opening up their borders, the UK kept restrictions in place to the consternation of the airlines and travel companies.

Under the changes, instead of countries being designated green, amber or red there will just be one list of high-infection places from which travellers will be required to quarantine in a hotel for 11 days at their own expense.

Moreover, there will no longer be a requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to take a test in the three days before their return from a non-red-list country and they can take a lateral flow rather than a PCR test on day two after their arrival. However, these changes do not apply to people who have not had two jabs in a bid to improve take-up rates.

The new regime is expected to be in place fully in time for people returning from October halfterm holidays, possibly encouraging a surge in late bookings among families seeking an autumn holiday in the sun. The prohibitive costs of testing have also acted as a barrier to travel. These need to come down.

The changes announced by Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, mark an end to what has been a bewildering set of rules, often tweaked at the drop of a hat, with holidaymakers scrambling to return home to avoid being made to quarantine. The uncertainty it engendered has been calamitous for an industry that suffered more than most during the pandemic lockdown. Even if there is an increase in Covid this winter any temptation to reintroduce such a system needs to be resisted.