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The Scottish border

38 replies

tenlittlecygnets · 01/12/2020 20:23

Does anyone live near the border? Are police waiting there to stop people crossing from England to Scotland? Or can you cross?

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Scarby9 · 01/12/2020 20:26

Elderly friends' children have crossed several times in the last month to visit their parents in the garden.
They were disappointed in the lack of police presence at the border as they were all ready to explain about visiting the vulnerable.

tenlittlecygnets · 01/12/2020 22:10

Interesting. Thanks!

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speakout · 01/12/2020 22:27

I live 40 miles North of the Border.- all week, hundreds of cars have been stopped and fines given out.

starlight14 · 01/12/2020 22:35

My DP crosses the border every week as he works in Glasgow (travelling from north east England) and hasn't been stopped, seen anyone be stopped or had any issues at all.

AngelicaElizaAndPeggy · 01/12/2020 22:42

I'm very invested in this as I am hoping to be able to wave at my family across this border over the Christmas period.

What a time to be alive. Can you imagine if this thread had existed last year? We'd have been wondering what the fuck had been going on and making this face Confused.

tenlittlecygnets · 02/12/2020 13:25

Hmm, interesting range of experience here. Are cars being turned around or just fined?!

And are we talking about the M6 up from Carlisle, or the A1?

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RaspberryCoulis · 02/12/2020 13:29

@speakout

I live 40 miles North of the Border.- all week, hundreds of cars have been stopped and fines given out.
I;m not one to scream "EVIDENCE" at posters but really, do you have ANY proof for that?

There are many, many reasons why people would need to cross the border from Scotland to England and vice versa. In Tier 4 areas of Scotland we're not legally allowed to leave our own council areas except for good reasons, and that's not being policed at all. Mainly because there are so many people travelling between the two for work, school, healthcare.

Really OP, if you need to come to Scotland, then come. They are not setting up roadblocks on the M74 at Gretna. Or the A1 at Berwick. Bring your winter woolies though, it's baltic.

stuckinarutwithyou · 02/12/2020 13:31

I live a mile from the border. No police here :)

Willow2017 · 02/12/2020 13:46

No its a ridiculous idea. I work in England and cross the border every time i go to wotk. No police ever.
Never heard of any cars being stopped on the A1 at all and i know people who work north of the border.
The border is 96 miles long with a myriad of roads crossing it. There are not enough police for normal police work never mind sitting on every small road pulling every car, lorry and tractor over to check them.
Police chief in scotland has said they wont be doing this anyway.
How these people screaming to close the border think thier food supplies, manufacturing supplies, xmas deliveries, thousands of everyday workers are supposed to get to them if they close the border? Or is it ok for thier Amazon delivery but not for Joe Bloggs who needs to work?

Willow2017 · 02/12/2020 13:49

@speakout

I live 40 miles North of the Border.- all week, hundreds of cars have been stopped and fines given out.
Thats basically Edinburgh then?
thelittlestrhino · 02/12/2020 14:01

Yes I’m in the Scottish Borders (live about 5 miles from border) and have to cross the border several times during the week for various reasons. No issues whatsoever. BBC reported at the weekend that a total of 9 fines had been given out by Lothian and Borders police since the new travel restrictions were put into place.

Can’t remember offhand but it was about 30 fines for travel penalties across the whole of Scotland at that point!

I have no idea where the ‘hundreds’ of cars stopped and fined could have been Grin

thelittlestrhino · 02/12/2020 14:03

@tenlittlecygnets

Hmm, interesting range of experience here. Are cars being turned around or just fined?!

And are we talking about the M6 up from Carlisle, or the A1?

A1, A68 and A7. Not sure about the Dumfries and Galloway border with England.
ifonly4 · 02/12/2020 15:26

Not the border, but around the time of lockdown apparently soldiers were stopping people at Edinburgh train station asking their reason for travel - not sure if it's still in operation.

RaspberryCoulis · 02/12/2020 15:37

@ifonly4

Not the border, but around the time of lockdown apparently soldiers were stopping people at Edinburgh train station asking their reason for travel - not sure if it's still in operation.
I really wish people would stop reporting nonsense they've read online and think it's OK because they prefix it with "apparently".
Willow2017 · 02/12/2020 16:07

Transport police were asking people while they were travelling on trains where they were going (a bit late then!) Back at the start of all this but it stopped. But never heard of any soldiers at the station. Why would they need them when there are transport police?

Willow2017 · 02/12/2020 16:11

@speakout

I live 40 miles North of the Border.- all week, hundreds of cars have been stopped and fines given out.
Actually Edinburgh police did a huge stop and check operation lately on one area of Edinburgh but it was nothing to do with travel restrictions it was breathalizers and checking cars, valid insurance etc. It was in the Edinburgh paper.
emmathedilemma · 02/12/2020 16:47

If said Edinburgh paper was the Evening News @Willow2017 then it's only worthy of lining the cat litter tray with!
33 fixed penalty fines handed out in the first 5 days. 9 of those by Lothians and Borders so potentially people crossing from England but might not be. 8 of them in Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire, neither of which border England.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55104724

BernieInn · 02/12/2020 16:50

I don't know for definite but I've heard the Scottish government have put out an appeal for anyone who worked on the original Hadrians Wall to get in touch.

RaspberryCoulis · 02/12/2020 16:55

Apparently, @BernieInn, I heard they were stopping people on the A1 and testing their DNA. If you can't recite "To a Mouse" or at least three verses of "Scotland the Brave", they turn you back.

tenlittlecygnets · 02/12/2020 16:59

@BernieInn

I don't know for definite but I've heard the Scottish government have put out an appeal for anyone who worked on the original Hadrians Wall to get in touch.
😂😂
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tenlittlecygnets · 02/12/2020 17:00

@RaspberryCoulis

Apparently, *@BernieInn*, I heard they were stopping people on the A1 and testing their DNA. If you can't recite "To a Mouse" or at least three verses of "Scotland the Brave", they turn you back.
Oh, I'll be braw then. I can give you some Hugh MacDiarmid?? Remembered from my degree from St Andrews... Wink
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Willow2017 · 02/12/2020 17:01

@RaspberryCoulis

Apparently, *@BernieInn*, I heard they were stopping people on the A1 and testing their DNA. If you can't recite "To a Mouse" or at least three verses of "Scotland the Brave", they turn you back.
"Wee sleekit cooring timerous beastie, oh what a panic's in thy breastie." I used to know it but couldnt do it all now. Used to know Tam o Shanter too thats a brilliant poem.

😄😄

tenlittlecygnets · 02/12/2020 17:05

And police won't suddenly come out to patrol the border before Christmas?!

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Willow2017 · 02/12/2020 17:05

If said Edinburgh paper was the Evening News @Willow2017 then it's only worthy of lining the cat litter tray with!

But its worth it for all the angst, hand wringing and rabid frothing of people desperate to blame someone else for anything. And the NS syncopaths.😄

tenlittlecygnets · 02/12/2020 17:06

Oh yes, @Willow2017 - have you been to the Tam O'Shanter Trail in Ayr?

'Weel done, cutty sark!'

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