Anger over MP’s advice on travel rules
THE Secretary of State for Wales has been criticised after he posted advice which appeared to be contrary to the lockdown travel rules in Wales.
Simon Hart, pictured, MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, met with police constables and police and crime commissioners from across Wales on Friday.
Following that meeting, he shared guidance on what he deemed to be acceptable with regard to travelling from home during lockdown.
Mr Hart tweeted: “Fascinating to hear from Wales’ four police chiefs today, and the commissioners too, especially on what’s permissible under lockdown.
“Consensus was that travelling 10-15 miles from home to fish, play golf, surf or exercise is fine - subject to all other distancing requirements.”
However, the chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police has said this information is not correct, instead explaining that “people should not drive outside their local area to undertake these forms of exercise.”
Furthermore, Mr Hart’s advice also contradicts the latest guidelines set out by the Welsh Government.
Its official stance is that exercising outside the home is allowed and no longer limited to once a day. But the guidelines stress that “exercise should be undertaken locally, as close as possible to the home - in general this should not involve people driving to a location away from home for this purpose.”
It also makes clear that, in Wales, “exercise should start and finish from home”, although people with “specific health or mobility issues” may be exempt from these rules.
Mr Hart’s confusing advice drew an angry response from some on social media.
One person commented: “Can you correct this please because the police are saying that this info is wrong.”
Another said: “Driving 15 miles to the beach is alright then?”
Someone else said: “(I) thought we weren’t meant to travel for exercise?” to which Mr Hart himself responded by saying: “I asked a specific question and this was the answer. Am waiting for answers to similar questions I put to Welsh Gov on Monday.”
Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police Mark Collins has questioned whether Mr Hart’s advice was in fact “the answer” he received at the meeting, however.
He did suggest that it might be appropriate to drive “around 10 miles” to exercise if a person lived in a particularly rural area, but disagreed with Mr Hart’s advice that driving up to 15 miles from home as a general rule was acceptable.
Mr Hart has not deleted his tweet, despite being asked to do so by members of the public, and he has been asked to comment further on the issue.