03/29/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn signs Open letter to Public urging people not travel to Wales for this Bank Holiday

IN an Open Letter to the public today, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn has urged people not to travel to Wales, and to the Dyfed-Powys area in particular for the coming May Bank Holiday.

The letter, which is also signed by First Minister, Mark Drakeford, Leader of Welsh Government Association, and Chair of the Wales Chief Officers Group, is asking people to respect the current travel restriction that are in place to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in communities in Wales.

In particular, the letter is urging owners of second homes in Wales to act responsible and to avoid travelling to those homes until restrictions have been lifted. People who remain away from the place where they are living without a reasonable excuse is committing an offence.

With coastal areas of the Dyfed Powys being extremely popular destinations for tourists during this part of the year, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion in particular, there have already been 752 police penalty notices across the Force area due to non-essential travel. Fifty percent of these notices have been to people from outside the Force area.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn said, “I was one of the first to come out in public in calling for travel restriction measures to be put in place to safeguard our communities.
“I have made it clear since those measures came in to place, that people who do not adhere or respect the restrictions, and who continue to do non-essential traveling – travelling to second homes in particular, are committing an offence and will be dealt with accordingly.
“The Police have enforcement powers, and officers will be out again over the coming days and over the Bank Holiday across the force area looking to issue penalty notices to those who are breaking the rules.
“While it is worrying and a concern in some respects to see that there have been so many penalty notices issued within our area, I remain fully supportive of the Chief Constable Mark Collins and the Force’s approach and response to the measures, and am thoroughly grateful for all their hard work in ensuring our safety during these unprecedented times.
“Proactive policing will continue. We are still in lockdown. Make no mistake – this remains a national emergency not a national holiday”.

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