A Government taskforce is looking at when foreign travel could restart and is expected to report by April 12
Brits hoping for a foreign getaway in June face having their hopes dashed as overseas travel could be banned until July.
International travel is currently banned for most people under lockdown rules but the law is being changed for when the stay-at-home order lifts on March 29.
Under the provisional new rules, non-essential foreign travel could be banned until June 30 but Brits will have to wait until next month for a clearer picture.
A Government taskforce is looking at when foreign travel could restart and is expected to report to Boris Johnson by April 12.
The lockdown roadmap says holidays abroad will not be allowed until May 17 at the earliest – but the new legislation is likely pave the ways for an earlier reopening.
The June 30 date does not pre-judge the review decision – instead it gives ministers the option of extending the ban to that date.
But it comes as Boris Johnson warned a third wave of Covid in Europe would inevitably ‘wash up on our shores’.
The move dampens hopes of quarantine-free holidays to many destinations until August or September.
Rising cases in Europe have reportedly alarmed ministers who are ‘increasingly pessimistic’ about allowing non-essential travel by mid-May.
A source told The Times the ban had been extended ‘to stop people travelling before May 17.’
It added: It will interact with the government’s global travel task force, which reports on April 12.
MPs are set to vote on the new coronavirus laws on Thursday amid growing anger from Tory backbenchers over Mr Johnson’s refusal to speed up the lifting of lockdown rules.
Lockdown expires on March 31 and the new legislation for restrictions for the coming months was published on Monday by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
It states no-one can leave England to travel outside the UK, or travel to or be present at an ’embarkation point for the purpose of travelling from there to a destination outside the United Kingdom.’
It is against the rules to do so without a ‘reasonable excuse’ and any breaches carry a hefty fine of £5,000.
The travel ban does not apply to visits to the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland.
