Covid: Police patrols ramped up to catch Wales-Shropshire rule breakers
Police patrols to catch people disobeying tightened Christmas travel restrictions are being ramped up.
Officers will be scouring “key areas” along the Shropshire/Wales border, ready to issue fines to motorists who flout the rules.
Harsher rules have come into play across the UK after a new strain of coronavirus, which is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible than the original Covid-19, has run riot through the population in the south east of England.
Saturday’s announcement saw a surge of people from Tier 4 areas head for trains and buses to flee to areas with lesser restrictions, but those who arrived in the West Midlands have been ordered to self-isolate for 10 days.
Anyone else in Tier 4 areas, included Wales, must not travel to other parts of the country.
Police have now issued people with a warning not to travel unless they absolutely have to - as speculation rises that parts of the urban West Midlands may also be placed in Tier 4 as early as Boxing Day.
It has been reported that moving Birmingham and the Black Country into Tier 4 was discussed at a national Gold Command meeting yesterday and that an announcement could be made as early as today.
Superintendent Craig Templeton of Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Throughout lockdown officers will conduct high visibility patrols across the counties.
“These will include road checks in key areas, which allow officers to engage with motorists and ensure that Welsh Government regulations regarding essential travel are understood and being followed.
“I appreciate this is an extremely difficult time for people but there is good reason for the restrictions.
"The virus is spreading extremely quickly. ”
West Mercia Police Chief Inspector Edd Williams said: “Under the Welsh restrictions travel is limited to essential travel only.
"Therefore, we continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Welsh forces to police the differing regulations.”
