Ministers ‘could remove last seven countries from the travel red list’
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps removes ALL the remaining seven countries from the travel ‘red list’ and mothballs quarantine hotels but says the category will be kept in place as a ‘precautionary measure’
Grant Shapps said tonight final seven countries being removed from the ‘red list’ Means there will no longer be any ‘red list’ countries, ending quarantine hotelsBut Mr Shapps said the category will be retained as a ‘precautionary measure’
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Ministers today announced they are removing the final seven countries from the Government’s travel ‘red list’.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Venezuela will all be axed from the banned list from 4am on November 1.
However, the Government has insisted the ‘red list’ category will be retained as a ‘precautionary measure’ and countries will be re-added to it in the future if they suffer fresh coronavirus spikes.
The decision effectively means the Government will now mothball its quarantine hotels because they will no longer be needed.
Mr Shapps tweeted: ‘All seven remaining countries on the red list will be REMOVED from Mon 1 Nov at 4am.’
He added: ‘We will keep the red list category in place as a precautionary measure to protect public health and are prepared to add countries and territories back if needed, as the UK’s first line of defence.’
Mr Shapps also announced that from next Monday the Government will recognise the vaccine status of people coming to the UK from a further 30 countries and territories, including Peru and Uganda.
That move takes the total number of countries on the inbound vaccination list to more than 135.
The changes will only apply to England, but the devolved administrations have recently implemented Westminster’s proposals to the international travel rules.
Getting rid of the remaining ‘red list’ countries would brings the UK into line with most of the rest of Europe.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today announced the remaining countries on the ‘red list’ will be removed from November 1
Mr Shapps said the ‘red list’ category will be retained as a ‘precautionary measure’ just in case countries need to be re-added to it
There are currently only seven nations on the ‘red list’. They include the Dominican Republic, pictured on October 10
Peru is also currently on the ‘red list’. The other nations on the banned list are Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama and Venezuela
Travellers arriving from ‘red list’ destinations are currently required to spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel at a cost of £2,285.
The policy was introduced as part of border measures to reduce the risk from arriving travellers who may be infected with coronavirus.
But it has been blamed for contributing to UK travel firms struggling to recover from the pandemic.
The decision to remove the remaining countries from the ‘red list’ means the quarantine hotels will no longer be needed.
Gary Lewis, CEO of The Travel Network Group which represents more than 1,200 travel businesses in the UK, said: ‘The travel industry will be breathing a sigh of relief now costly hotel quarantine is being scrapped for those returning from red list countries.
‘It is encouraging to see further progress being made to remove barriers to free travel after 19 months of restrictions.
‘We hope that this move helps to build customer confidence and reassure people that they can book trips and travel without the threat of costly or disruptive changes to their plans.’
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: ‘There’s no justification now for any country to be on a red list or for hotel quarantine to be in existence.
‘There have been no new variants of concern since May and countries are now learning that blanket border measures, such as blocking whole countries, don’t work.
‘The best approach is to check for an individual’s vaccine status and ensure they are up to date if they want to travel without restrictions.
‘It’s encouraging that the UK Government have finally cottoned on to this.
‘The current seven countries on the red list, such as Panama and Colombia, will be delighted if they are taken off it later today.’
Mr Shapps announced on October 7 that he was removing 47 countries from the ‘red list’, moving them all onto the ‘go list’ from October 11.
Those changes meant that double-vaccinated people can return to the UK from most countries in the world without having to take a pre-departure test or quarantine on arrival.
However, they do still have to take a coronavirus test on the second day they are back.
