What will replace the traffic light travel system?

The “traffic light” system that governs international travel to the UK could be scrapped next month, according to reports.

So what could change? These are the key questions and answers.

A reminder of the present rules...

The UK is in the odd position of having both the highest Covid infection rates of any major European country and also the most draconian restrictions on arrivals from abroad. Nations (or sometime individual regions) are placed into one of five categories that decide how travellers are treated on arrival to the UK.

Ireland has been in a “super green” category of its own since the coronavirus pandemic began, with neither testing nor quarantine required for arrivals from the republic.

From the “green list” – including Germany, Gibraltar, Iceland, Malta and others – there is no need to self-isolate, but a test before flying to the UK and another after arrival are still required.

Croatia and the Portuguese island of Madeira are on the “green watchlist”, giving them quarantine-free status but with the caveat that they could be downgraded at short notice to the …

“Amber list” – with the vast majority of popular holiday destinations, including Spain, France, Italy and Greece.

The “red list” is where no one wants to be – arrivals must go into 11 nights of hotel quarantine at their expense. Unwilling members include Turkey, Egypt, South Africa and every country in South America.

What’s expected to change?

Next week – probably on Wednesday or Thursday, 15 or 16 September – another traffic light review is expected. The shuffling around could include Poland and Hungary being placed on the green list, and perhaps the Maldives and Turkey taken off the red list and moved to amber.

But there is a separate and strategic review ahead: a “checkpoint” date of 1 October when the government has long said it will evaluate the system.

At present the UK has by far the most draconian rules of any European country. Leaks to the media suggest that from October, the red list would continue but green and amber categories would be combined.

What difference would combining ‘green’ and ‘amber’ make?

Very little. For vaccinated travellers that would make no difference at all, since both categories require two tests but no quarantine.

For the relatively small minority of unvaccinated adults, there could be a more significant change – perhaps removing self-isolation but retaining testing.

What does the travel industry think about the rumours?

Airlines, holiday companies and travel agents are underwhelmed. The leaks suggest merely tinkering with the travel restrictions, rather than aligning the rules more closely with other countries – which seek to balance the protection of public health with supporting their travel and tourism industries.

What do you think should be done?

To avoid further destruction of the UK’s previously world-leading travel industry – and to revive the near-moribund inbound tourism sector – fundamental changes are needed to end the complex, expensive, incoherent and constantly changing rules.

Testing needs to be eased – ideally with most European countries moved to “super green,” alongside Ireland.

At the very least, for vaccinated travellers from lower-risk countries (which includes almost all our holiday favourites), the “day two” PCR test – which must be taken on the day of arrival or one of the two following days – should be scrapped.

The 60-plus countries on the red list, requiring mandatory hotel quarantine, should shrink to a relatively small number of nations with very high infection rates, unreliable data and/or fears about variants.

Every day that the current system persists means jobs, hopes and opportunities are being crushed.