There’s only one thing on my travel wish list – a simpler set of rules

Green, amber and red lists, fully vaccinated only, watchlists and ‘super greens’ – who can keep track any more, asks Lucy Thackray

Transport secretary Grant Shapps addresses the media in Downing Street (PA)

With all eyes on the Department for Transport in the next three weeks, we’re praying for one thing: a simpler system for Covid-era travel.

Whether you’re one of the pilots, cabin crew and travel agents struggling to stay afloat as the furlough scheme comes to an end (long before the travel sector has really had a chance to bounce back), the holidaymakers infuriated by ever-changing, wildly varying travel rules from country to country, or journalists filing stories from green and amber list countries, hoping they’ll still be relevant in a week, I think we can all agree that something’s got to give.

This week, the travel hive has been abuzz with anonymous tips, industry leaks and rampant rumours that a new system for the UK’s international travel rules is in the offing – some indicating that major changes could be coming as soon as 1 October. Whether this new way will rely on vaccination status, reciprocal arrangements between countries or narrow things down to two lists – one “safe” and one “unsafe” for travel – remains to be seen.

This much we know: the current inconsistent and relentlessly confusing traffic light lists have ensured only one thing, that as few people as possible feel empowered to travel outside of the UK. It’s not just the fear of infection or hotel quarantine costing thousands putting us off – the requirement for multiple Covid tests averaging £93 a pop has written off holidays and trips to see loved ones for many already financially shaken by the pandemic.

It would perhaps be more bearable if we thought our cash was contributing to a strong system of tracking and containing the pandemic – but many of those of us bold enough to venture out of the country and back have found their test kits have arrived too late to be useful, or results have failed to come through altogether. The only thing worse than forking out £150-plus in tests to nip to Paris for the weekend is forking out £150 and then never even finding out if you’re a potential super-spreader.

So bring on next week’s expected traffic light list review and, hot on its heels, 1 October’s travel taskforce checkpoint. Like the recently PCR-swabbed refreshing their emails for test results in the check-in queue, we’re all on the edge of our seats.

Yours,

Lucy Thackray

Deputy travel editor