The National Police Chiefs’ Council have updated their guidelines to officers around Coronavirus and released a guidance document. (31 March 2020)
It is a document that is publicly available https://www.college.police.uk/Documents/COVID-19-Police-brief-in-response-to-Coronavirus-Government-Legislation.pdf
The national guidance has given clarification that you can travel to a location to exercise.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council Guidelines to an officer:
Use your judgement and common sense; for example, people will want to exercise locally and may need to travel to do so, we don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise. Road checks on every vehicle is equally disproportionate. We should reserve enforcement only for individuals who have not responded to Engage, Explain, and Encourage, where public health is at risk.
Here’s some reasons why you shouldn’t:
- In the guidance the word ‘reasonable’ is key and is of course open to interpretation. For instance if you live in Harrogate, you have access to many areas to walk or exercise your dog, places like The Pinewoods, Hookstone Woods and The Nidd Gorge. We need to question if it is reasonable to travel to somewhere that is just different.
- It makes it more difficult for the police to manage. The Police have been put in a difficult position of implementing a change in law that came in over a period of 3-days. On Monday it was a Bill in the House of Commons and few days later it was law. The Police of course use discretion, that is discretion built on the basis of the experience of an officer, knowing the law and perhaps a law being refined to meet what is needed – there hasn’t been that opportunity with the legislation around Coronavirus.
- It reduces the risk of needing to use the emergency services.
- The basic advise is to stay at home.
Check out the railway line footpath in Harrogate. I understand very very busy today. People think they are out of the way.
Not looked all that bad down Nidd as far as I am aware as a local resident that walks there daily. No trouble socially distancing within the guidelines.
I live in Poulton-le-Fylde. Am I allowed to travel 3 miles by train to walk near the sea because it’s cleaner air. Blackpool to be precise.????