
Grant Shapps promises to ‘set Britons free’ with easing of travel rules
The IndependentSign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The transport secretary has made a bold claim about eased travel rules, promising “normality not witnessed since early 2020”. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Grant Shapps said: “For vaccinated travellers, this coming half-term will see a return to normality not witnessed since early 2020, with remaining tests scrapped and bureaucracy reduced to the bare minimum.” Yet the passenger locator form was not introduced for travellers to the UK until the summer of 2020. On Monday the transport secretary said: “It’s obvious to me now that border testing for vaccinated travellers has outlived its usefulness.” Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “While it’s encouraging to see testing at last dismantled as a policy, the government have always said that Covid restrictions on travel should not last a minute longer than necessary. Restrictions on all other sectors will have gone by the end of this week yet travel including inbound is again being punished, especially during the peak booking period.” In Parliament, Mr Shapps said: “It takes a little bit of time to put those technical changes in place and indeed to bring all four nations with us.” In his article, the transport secretary also hinted that being boosted may become a necessary condition for being fully vaccinated.
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