Taxi passengers must NOT socially travel within or out of Tier 4 during Christmas period says DfT

Taxi and private hire passengers must NOT socially travel within tier 4 areas to see others over the Christmas period or Christmas Day says new Government guidelines.

The Department for Transport’s (DfT) travel guidance for taxi and private hire drivers also states that there should be no journeys leaving the tier 4 areas throughout the same period.

The new measures announced by Government start today in areas with rapidly rising levels of infections. The areas placed into tier 4 included much of the South East and London.

According to the Government, people living in the highest tier must not leave or be outside of their home except for where they have a specific purpose, or a ‘reasonable excuse’.

In new guidance issued by DfT it states passengers living in a tier 4 area, must not travel within or leave a tier 4 area to see others over Christmas or on Christmas Day (unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons, including visiting those in their support bubble or childcare bubble). They also cannot leave a tier 4 area to join a Christmas bubble in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Some social contact restrictions will be different on 25 December. If passengers are in a tier 1, tier 2 or tier 3 area and choose to form a Christmas bubble they are advised to consider carefully the risks of travelling at all.

If passengers live in a tier 3 area, they should avoid travelling to tier 1 or tier 2 areas where possible.

Passengers who live in a tier 1, tier 2 or tier 3 area cannot form a Christmas bubble with anyone who lives in a tier 4 area.

If passengers plan to travel to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to form a Christmas bubble, they must follow the rules of that country and should check guidance from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland before travelling.