Backlash over plan to test arrivals

MINISTERS faced a barrage of criticism from the travel industry last night over plans to test all passengers for Covid-19 before they arrive in the UK.

Leading industry figures said they had been calling for such a regime since last summer and accused ministers of dithering.

The measures, which were still being thrashed out by ministers last night, look set to be announced within days. Sources said there was last- minute wrangling between the Home Office and Department for Transport over whether UK residents should also be tested, with the DfT reportedly wanting to just test visiting foreigners.

The plans, which would bring the UK into line with many other countries, will mean passengers must show proof of a negative PCR test result before boarding a flight, ferry or train bound for the UK.

It would have to be dated no more than 72 hours before their expected arrival on British soil. There will be a limited number of exemptions, including for hauliers. Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: ‘We’ve been asking for this since early summer, and no one has done anything about it.’

Lloyd Figgins, chief executive of the The Travel Risk & Incident Prevention Group, said: ‘I think the industry would have welcomed this as long ago as last March and if we look at the countries that did put those restrictions in they’ve benefited from them longer term in terms of keeping infections down and the industry going.’