Xmas travel outside 23-27 Dec

[tenlittlecygnets]

Is it allowed? We have booked a cottage near my parents so we can see them over Xmas. We are in tier 2 - low numbers - they are in Scotland - in level 2. Planning to travel 21-28 Dec.

Bloody ball ache -thought the four uk nations were planning to have the same rules for everyone? But they're not at all. Totally different in Scotland. Anyway.

It's allowed in "exceptional circumstances" and they give examples like one of you having got Covid and being unable to travel home. So just to see parents I doubt would be exceptional enough. So normal Tier rules would apply.

Ffs. Where is that advice, pls?

Can imagine it's safer to travel outside those dates as otherwise the roads will be heaving!!

You can travel there as far as I'm aware, you just shouldn't see them until 23rd

Ffs again. Just found it on .gov website. Marvellous. 🙄

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family#travel-and-overnight-stays-with-your-christmas-bubble

You should not travel to see your bubble before 23 December, or travel back after the 27 December except in exceptional circumstances

Just go ... the virus won't infect you anymore on the 22nd to the 23rd I have followed the rules since March but just use your common sense x

Its illegal to cross the border at the moment.

Not sure when that ends. (Possibly 11th December?).

If you are allowed i would go on holiday and only see family in the allowed time frame.

Do we think that collecting a student from uni to bring her home in the 22nd would be deemed as exceptional? She really cant come home next weekend when they want them gone by as she is in the middle of 2 essays and needs their facilities.

If she can’t leave until the 22nd; I’d just wait until the 23rd, if I’m honest. It’s only an extra night, and I can’t see it being considered exceptional if you were stopped. I’d just go with the 23rd for ease!

I wish they hadn't specified the dates. My DS can't get to me until late Christmas Eve and will have to go on the 27th. I'm tempted to choose my own 5 day window, can't see what difference it would make.

I'm just concerned at how bad the traffic will be if we wait til the 23rd to be fair. Although a lot of people are still in work, so if we go in the day hopefully it won't be that bad.

Technically it is illegal to travel between England and Scotland for a non essential reason. I think the regulations making it illegal last til March, but there is an exemption from 23rd to 27th. Restrictions here

There are also restrictions on staying in tourist accommodation. It's against the guidance (but not illegal, I don't think) to do so if you're going to form a bubble with your parents over Christmas. Crazy rule here. If you're not, and will only meet them outside, it's OK assuming you're a single household, as you'll be in level 2, not 3 or 4.

Yes, they are crazy and illogical rules. It HAS to be safer doing what you're proposing than going to stay in your parents house! But, hey, Scotland doesn't really want anyone to meet at all over Christmas, so they have made the rules as awkward as possible to discourage us from doing so. In your situation, I would...

Students I think aren't classed as "normal people" and they can travel home whenever they want to. They are being encouraged to do so sooner rather than later (I think so they can self isolate for 2 weeks before Christmas if needed) but even if they don't, they don't have to restrict themselves to the 5 day window for travel.

Yes there's a list of student- related questions here and returning to your family is a separate thing to the Christmas bubble rules.

Arghhhh. I don't know what to do now. We had planned to meet outside, not to see each other indoors, to be as safe as possible. Plus we are one over Sturgeon's 8 people in three households rule. Just don't know what to do. Ffs.

Ah balls. Are any of your party under 12, cos they don't count?

If you are only meeting outside, you wouldn't strictly have to form a bubble, but as there will be 8/ 9 of you from 3 households, you would class as a bubble anyway, even outside! (The limit is 6 people from 2 households outside (or in a cafe/ restaurant in level 2) otherwise...but you would be allowed to do that outside the 5 day window). It seems that 9 people outside would be safer than 8 inside, but what do I know!

The only reason we travel at the mo is to take care of my disabled mum who is 60 miles away.

She is coming here on 19th Dec as we have to go back for some medical appts for her and there is literally more risk doing multiple trips to her for a second collection.

Taking her back on 27th though.

I think it’s going to be tight for a lot of people with the timing restrictions in place :(

Why can’t you just go for the 5 day period you’re allowed to?

You cant travel outside of those dates.

Because only on those dates will covid have been turned off for 5 days and won't be able to harm anyone.

If you travel on any other day covid will still be switched on so you can't go.

@Lifeispassingby - because we're driving 500 miles

And we've booked a week's rental which was not cheap. But that's not so important.

And because I think it would be safer and quicker to drive when the roads are quieter. I can imagine them being ultra busy if everyone is travelling on 23rd.

@OpheliasCrayon - 😂

I am sure Nicola will have police at the border........

If we see people we aren't travelling until after isolating for almost two weeks after school. Possibly new years eve. I want to make it as low risk as possible.
Can't see the point of seeing people at Xmas without isolating 😬.

I think the only option really is to go just for the days when it is allowed.

Frustrating, I know, but you’ll have the days you were planning to be there on either side to prepare for and recover from the journey (trying to see a bright side!).