BIG changes to the Government’s travel traffic light systems are expected to be announced later today.
The current red, amber and green list system is due to be dropped in favour of go/no-go lists.
What time is the travel announcement today?
Currently there is no allotted time for the announcement to be made.
The details are expected to be finalised by the new-look Cabinet this afternoon with an announcement expected shortly after.
In the past travel updates were usually made every three weeks with an announcement on the latest details made either on a Wednesday or Thursday.
However, the most recent update was postponed due to Boris Johnson’s Cabinet reshuffle.
Normally, there is no formal announcement but any changes previously have been detailed on Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ social media accounts.
What is expected to be announced?
The travel traffic light system is expected to be axed in the announcement.
It will be replaced by a simpler go/no-go system.
The red list that bans travel to 62 countries will be more than halved when all of the new measures kick in.
People returning from these destinations will still have to undergo hotel quarantine.
Some popular holiday spots, such as Turkey, Mexico and Tunisia, could be declared safe.
Pre-departure tests are expected to be scrapped.
Returning holidaymakers who have been double-jabbed will no longer have to fork-out for the expensive PCR test and instead have to take the cheaper lateral flow test.
To be counted as being double-jabbed you must have received your second jab at least 14 days before your return trip to the UK.
It will still cost around £30 per person though as the free NHS kits will not be accepted.
Those taking the test will be supervised in person or virtually but the changes will save about £100 in testing costs per booking.
And they will not have to show a negative test at all if they return from a green list country.
Unvaccinated travellers will still have to pay for a PCR test and face ten days of self-isolation.
The changes won’t come into effect immediately but are likely to take place ahead of the October half-term.
On September 14, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted the traffic light system rules will be "simplified" with fewer tests for holidaymakers.
When asked about the changes to the travel rules, he said: "We'll be looking at how to simplify [the traffic light system] and what we can do to make the burdens of testing less onerous for people who are coming back into the country.
The Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that more information would be given by Shapps ahead of the Global Travel Taskforce’s review on October 1.
He said: "A set of changes [to travel restrictions] that we are looking to make very soon. The Transport Secretary will bring them to the house as soon as he possibly can."
When was the last travel update and what was announced?
The UK's travel traffic light system is reviewed every three weeks.
The government last held a review on Thursday, August 26, 2021, with changes to the red, amber and green list.
The last review saw Canada, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Azores added to the green list, while France, Spain, Greece, Portugal and other European holiday hotspots stayed amber.
But the changes weren't as positive for holidaymakers wanting a trip to Montenegro or Thailand as both countries were added to the red list.
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