Travel PCR outrage at ‘most restrictive country in Europe’
SCOTLAND has become ‘the most restrictive country in Europe’ with the SNP’s refusal to follow England’s lead in easing travel curbs, it was claimed last night.
As holiday bookings south of the Border rocketed yesterday, travel companies and opposition parties hit out at ministers for ruling out scrapping costly PCR tests for Scots families.
The shake-up in England means testing bills will be slashed by hundreds of pounds, and the only destinations still off limits for the double-jabbed will be those on the red list.
Industry figures said bookings in Scotland are still slow, with many Scots likely to head to Manchester or Newcastle airports to get around the costly restrictions. But the Scottish Government has ruled out implementing the change here, saying it would ‘weaken our ability to protect the public’s health’.
Last night, Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Graham Simpson blamed the SNP’s ‘separation obsession’ for its decision not to take a four-nations approach to travel rules.
He said: ‘Scotland has become the most restrictive country in Europe because the SNP has failed to be on top of fighting the virus.
‘The SNP have completely taken their eye off the ball leaving Scottish passengers short-changed.
‘This is another block which has been put on the runway in the travel industry’s journey to recovery. Unless the SNP stops its separation obsession and forms part of a fournations approach, passengers will literally take flight and travel from elsewhere. Scottish airports are on their knees, and vital jobs and livelihoods remain at great risk.’
UK transport secretary Grant Shapps has said PCRs will be replaced by cheaper lateral flow tests by the end of next month for those landing in England, and that fully-vaccinated passengers would no longer need a pre-departure test before they come home.
The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) has also criticised the retention of the restrictions in Scotland and has called for the rules to be urgently changed.
Joanne Dooey, SPAA president, said: ‘The costly PCR tests which remain in Scotland on day two are still a barrier to travel for a lot of families. Also, the rules around children are very unclear. The travel agents’ community needs firm guidance on whether children have to isolate and at what age is testing a requirement.
‘We need the removal of the requirement for costly PCR tests, and we need them [Scottish ministers] to make this announcement now so that hard-working Scots have time to book holidays for the October schools break.’
An Edinburgh airport spokesman yesterday said that the Scottish Government’s decision had ‘no justification or benefit’.
Under the new rules in England, the fully vaccinated will no longer have to pay for PCR swabs or prereturn tests.
They will only need to purchase a cheaper lateral flow test within two days of returning, taking a free PCR swab if this is positive. Only travellers returning from red list countries will need to isolate.
The Scottish Government agreed to follow the rest of the UK and scrap the amber travel list, but also announced it will not yet remove the requirement for PCR tests for those returning to Scotland.
Scots will still need to book a predeparture test and then also a PCR test on the second day after they return, at an average cost of between £60 and £120 per person.
Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon’s top Covid adviser, Professor Devi Sridhar said that it was necessary to retain PCR tests north of the Border to keep ‘pressure off the NHS’.
She said: ‘I think letting go of PCR testing is letting go of one of the main ways we would identify a new variant and be able to even know if it was coming in and being seeded, and secondly to be able to catch positive cases. We try to control and keep the numbers as low as we can and the pressure off the NHS.’
Her comments came as serious concerns have been raised about the state of the health service in Scotland, as it is mired in a deep crisis of delayed operations and continues to battle lengthy waiting times for ambulances.
Scotland is also currently the UK Covid hotspot, with around one in 45 people carrying the virus in the week up until September 11.
Mr Simpson said that, despite this, the decision not to ease travel rules highlighted that the SNP was ‘failing to engage with the industry while ignoring their concerns at every turn’.
‘The costly tests are still a barrier to travel’