Travel ban is 'vital' in preventing national lockdown

A ban on travel in and out of level three and four areas is “vital” so the country can avoid another national lockdown, the First Minister said.

The restrictions on movement will become law from 6pm.

It means people in areas subject to those measures should not travel outside of their local authority unless for an essential purpose.

However, there are exemptions for people who have a “reasonable excuse”, such as childcare, caring for a vulnerable person or a hospital appointment.

The regulations also ban Scots from travelling to other parts of the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon said at the daily briefing: “These travel restrictions – nobody likes them, I don’t like them – but they are vital in helping us minimise these risks.

“In a particularly Scottish context, they are vital in helping us avoid having the whole country in the same level of restrictions.

“It is these travel restrictions that mean that even although the central belt has to be in level four, we can avoid the Highlands or Edinburgh or parts of the country with lower prevalence being in level four too.”

Although it is not against the law to fly overseas, the Scottish Government is urging people not to do so.

Sturgeon said: “We are continuing to advise very strongly against unnecessary travel overseas at the moment and that includes advice not to go overseas on holiday right now.

“I know people have been asking why are we making it against the law, depending on where you live, to travel to an airport, but not against the law to fly to another country.

“So let me be clear about this, just because it’s not against the law to travel overseas does not mean we think it’s okay to do it right now.”