The Office of the Traffic Commissioner (OTC) is warning public inquiry (PI) attendees that they must follow the 14-day quarantine rule when arriving back in the UK from a country that is not on the exemption list.
The warning follows “several worrying incidents” since the OTC reintroduced physical attendance at PIs, which were suspended at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown.
In a statement, the OTC said: “In the short time since we reintroduced physical attendance at hearings, there have been several worrying incidents where people have arrived at a public inquiry almost immediately after flying back to the UK. This puts everyone’s health at risk and undermines the strict rules the government have put in place."
It adds: “If you are due to attend a hearing within 14 days of returning to the UK, it’s vital that you check whether your travel destination is exempt from the quarantine rules. The rule can apply to all travel by coach, ferry, train or plane.
“The safety of attendees remains the main consideration when holding in-person hearings. Our staff have completed thorough risk assessments and have put measures in place to protect the health of all concerned.”
The OTC is also calling on those due to attend a PI who have to quarantine to let OTC staff know as soon as possible so that they can consider arranging attendance by video.
PI attendees are also urged to check quarantine rules on the link below before attending a PI.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors
