Government to abandon 'amber watchlist ' - report
The government will abandon plans to create an “amber watchlist ” of countries at risk of moving to red in the travel traffic light system, according to reports.
The move comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wanted a “simple ” and “balanced approach ” to pandemic travel.
The government had been considering the idea of a new level in the traffic light system for overseas travel, ahead of a review this week.
It would have warned people when a destination was at risk of a sudden shift from amber to red - meaning a ban on travel for everyone except UK nationals and residents, who would then be required to quarantine in a hotel on their return.
As of yesterday, people who were fully vaccinated in the EU or US do not need to isolate when coming to England, Scotland and Wales from an amber list country.
Currently, only people who received their jabs in the UK can avoid quarantine when arriving from amber list countries, except France.
The UK Government said the rule change would help to reunite family and friends whose loved ones live abroad.
Raj Kandola, head of policy at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “It 's pleasing to see that the Prime Minister has taken decisive steps to throw out this proposal which would have added unnecessary complexity to the traffic light system.
“Right now, the Government needs to be doing everything it possibly can to stimulate demand in an industry that has been rocked to its core by the pandemic and adding layers of bureaucracy and creating uncertainty would simply have deterred people from going abroad.
“The decision to ease restrictions for those travellers who were fully vaccinated in the EU or US will also offer a much-needed boost for our tourism sector and wider economy.
“Ahead of this week 's formal review, we would urge the Transport Secretary to go further and use the data to expand the list of countries on the Green List whilst also exploring options around making the cost of travel even cheaper - all of which would spur confidence and help to get the travel industry back on its feet. ”