‘Five-mile rule favours cities while more rural areas suffer’

NEW guidelines which limit people to travelling five miles to safely meet friends and family have been described as “Cardiff-centric” and impractical for rural communities.

According to First Minister Mark Drakeford, social distancing and hand hygiene would still have to be adhered to when meeting outdoors, and people should “not generally” travel more than five miles to stop coronavirus spreading.

But opposition parties have described the “arbitrary” five-mile rule as favouring those living in town and city centres, at the expense of those based in the countryside.

In a letter to the First Minister, Plaid Cymru Ynys Mon MS Rhun ap Iorwerth claimed that this new rule was “impractical”, fearing that it would further isolate those in rural communities.

He said: “I’d previously urged Government to look at allowing families to meet in the open air, on the grounds of welfare, as long as it was based on science and risk management.

“It is not clear where the figure of five miles comes from, nor is it clear how this rule can be effectively governed.

“What is of greater concern is that in rural parts of Wales, including my constituency, five miles is a very small area.

“Many people who consider themselves to live close to family or friends would still be unable to see them.

“To have a plan that favours those in city-centre locations is both unfair and is another Cardiff-centric policy from a government which seems intent on ignoring the needs of rural Wales.

“There is a very different understanding of what ‘local’ means in different parts of Wales, and I appeal to the First Minister to allow more flexibility to reflect the geographic realities of Wales and its communities.”

Ynys Mon MP Virginia Crosbie added: “This news means that families might be able to see loved ones for the first time in almost 70 days. My thoughts go out to those 130,000 shielded who are still instructed to stay home because they are particularly at risk from the virus.

“Whilst the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Cell has been publishing evidence since the beginning of May, critical is the specific scientific evidence that has informed the Welsh Government’s decision to limit how far people can travel.”