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Original poster

Driving 3 miles to beach and fined £200

402 replies

nancybotwinbloom · 27/01/2021 20:01

A friend of a friend drove three miles to her nearest beach and took her newborn for a walk in the pram.

She was surrounded by police and fined £200.

This was today.

I think it must of been scary to be surrounded by police with the pram and the newborn. Surely only one of them needed to speak to her. Not mob handed. Or are they all unreasonable?

Is it unreasonable to drive three miles for a walk? I'm at a point now I can't work out what's local and what's not. I don't think she was in the wrong in all honesty.

Or is it that she drove there that it's not local enough.

I walk nearly three miles to the park with the dog and walk through the park and walk back most days and I don't think I am unreasonable?

What is local classed as these days?

OP posts:
Chloemol · 27/01/2021 21:59

There’s a difference to me. An essential journey if three miles to the shops ok

Three miles to exercise/walk on a beach, no, I am sure there are lots of areas in walking distance of home

Backbee · 27/01/2021 21:59

Surely a beach is a bit of a nightmare with a pram? Missing the point I know, but...

JiminyLeeCricket · 27/01/2021 22:00

Were talking about an English journey here.

ItsGoingTibiaK · 27/01/2021 22:00

@Aloethere

I think to prevent things like this the rules in the UK need to be clearer. Here we can't go more than 5km unless it is for an essential reason(food, work, medical apps etc). It's irritating but you know where you stand and it prevents any misunderstandings.
The law, which is all the police can enforce, is very clear, as emphasised by the NPCC:

"...the Covid Regulations which officers enforce and which enables them to issue FPNs for breaches, do not restrict the distance travelled for exercise."

BonnieDundee · 27/01/2021 22:00

There isn't a prom at Formby. I find this story very difficult to believe. I wouldn't take a pram to Formby beach and where has the person come from? Altcar? That is pretty much the only place that is 3 miles away. Everything else is either in Formby or further away (and has a nearer beach)

Thanks for the info. I don't know the area at all.

ItsGoingTibiaK · 27/01/2021 22:04

@JiminyLeeCricket

Definitely clarity is needed. Lawful clarity, not boris-waffle clarity.
There is absolute legal clarity. Its enshrined in the legislation.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1374

The relevant exception for leaving the home to exercise is as follows. It makes no reference to exercise being local, whether or not one is able to drive to a place to exercise or anything similar.

(c)to take exercise outside—
(i)alone,
(ii)with—
(aa)one or more members of their household, their linked household, or
(bb)where exercise is being taken as part of providing informal childcare for a child aged 13 or under, one or more members of their linked childcare household, or
(iii)in a public outdoor place, with one other person who is not a member of their household, their linked household or their linked childcare household,

When Derbyshire police made their public mistake earlier in January, the NPCC issued further guidance emphasising to police officers the what they can and can't enforce:

“UK Government guidance strongly requests that people do not leave their local area. However, the Covid Regulations which officers enforce and which enables them to issue FPNs for breaches, do not restrict the distance travelled for exercise.

“Police officers will be inquisitive about why people are out of their homes and will explain the regulations and encourage people to comply. Where people are breaching the regulations and are away from home without a reasonable excuse, they may be issued with a FPN. In situations where people are breaching the guidance not to travel out their local area but are not breaching regulations, officers will encourage people to follow the guidance."

www.derbyshire.police.uk/news/derbyshire/news/news/forcewide/2021/january/force-welcomes-new-guidance-from-npcc-around-about-travelling-during-lockdown/

BonnieDundee · 27/01/2021 22:04

She shouldn't HAVE (not of.) Bloody stupid decision. Exercise from home. It's very, very straightforward.

But that is NOT law . We cant fine people who havent broken the law. (Although it appears some people think we can) bangs head against wall

Vivenne · 27/01/2021 22:05

Three miles is like going to my nearest shop! Ridiculous

Aloethere · 27/01/2021 22:08

@BonnieDundee

She shouldn't HAVE (not of.) Bloody stupid decision. Exercise from home. It's very, very straightforward.

But that is NOT law . We cant fine people who havent broken the law. (Although it appears some people think we can) bangs head against wall

I suppose that was the mistake then. Thinking that people would do the right thing for compassionate reasons during difficult times when so many people don't seem to be able to see further than their own nose.
LovingBob · 27/01/2021 22:08

In Derbyshire there were pictures of a police van at a National Trust place. At Calke Abbey there was a picture of 4 police waiting to catch people so they do work en masse

Watchitgrow · 27/01/2021 22:08

@BonnieDundee

There isn't a prom at Formby. I find this story very difficult to believe. I wouldn't take a pram to Formby beach and where has the person come from? Altcar? That is pretty much the only place that is 3 miles away. Everything else is either in Formby or further away (and has a nearer beach)

Thanks for the info. I don't know the area at all.

What do you mean nowhere near there? It’s not some tiny village in the middle of nowhere! And Formby isn’t massive but you could live in formby and still be 3 miles from the beach!
Nicknacky · 27/01/2021 22:10

@LovingBob One photograph does not portray the full picture across the country.

We have a national trust area near me, there are no cops at it.

MuthaHubbard · 27/01/2021 22:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 27/01/2021 22:12

This sounds mad and very heavy handed. I walk most days from my house to the beach ( 10 mins walk) and carry on walking along the coast for a bit and then turn around and walk back home. I walk 6 miles in total. That's my daily exercise at the moment with the gym being shut. I'd never consider that a breach of Covid rules.

Ch3rish · 27/01/2021 22:15

@MissMarpleDarling

I have collegues who have drove over 2 hours into work everyday and never been stopped.
And?

Are you saying that because one person hasn't been stopped that no one has been stopped? That makes no sense at all Confused

Watchitgrow · 27/01/2021 22:15

I grew up in formby. I’ve often thought during this lockdown how much nicer it’d be to have the beach near me. It’s thoroughly depressing to hear this instead.

BonnieDundee · 27/01/2021 22:16

I suppose that was the mistake then. Thinking that people would do the right thing

She did do the right thing. She didnt break the law.

Only on MN can you be wrong for following the law Hmm

Original poster
nancybotwinbloom · 27/01/2021 22:16

@ItsGoingTibiaK

What's your point?

OP posts:
LovingBob · 27/01/2021 22:17

I think it depends where you live, we haven't got anywhere that popular near where we live so you could probably drive 10 miles to walk and not ever see any police as we just seem to have muddy fields. Beaches and beach car parks do seem to be police hunting grounds for fining people

Ch3rish · 27/01/2021 22:18

@Vivenne

Three miles is like going to my nearest shop! Ridiculous
What's ridiculous is posters going on about shopping.

If this story is true it's about driving for exercise, nothing at all to do with shopping. Why are there so many irrelevant shopping posts?

Nicknacky · 27/01/2021 22:19

@LovingBob I’m also a five minute walk to our beach which is one of the most popular on the west coast.

It’s still not a hunting ground for police officers fining people.

Yes, it will happen in some areas but no where as much as you seem to think.

Sparklingbrook · 27/01/2021 22:21

@Backbee

Surely a beach is a bit of a nightmare with a pram? Missing the point I know, but...
Yes many great memories of literally dragging the buggy backwards across the sand. 😩
LovingBob · 27/01/2021 22:24

DH goes on very long walks so at least if he is caught 10 - 15 miles from home he has walked there, I don't think you can be fined if you walk as it is clearly exercise

Comefromaway · 27/01/2021 22:29

@MissMarpleDarling

I have collegues who have drove over 2 hours into work everyday and never been stopped.
My daughter was stopped last week driving from Staffordshire to Chester. She had a valid reason for her journey but the police were randomly stopping cars. She saw them on the same bridge the previous week too.
LovingBob · 27/01/2021 22:31

These fines are really just a tax on poorer people, rich just do as they want.

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