THE WELSH Government has pleaded with the public to remain at home this bank holiday weekend.

Though Wales – and the rest of the UK – will have been six weeks into lockdown by the weekend, a roadmap out of the current restrictions is not expected until next week.

In an open letter, the public has been urged to “Visit Wales. Later.”

Recently, “large groups” have been travelling to Welsh, and Gwent, beauty spots over the weekend, flouting lockdown restrictions.

And with the VE bank holiday approaching, the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, Cllr Andrew Morgan, Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), the Chair of Policing Wales & Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, and the Chair of the Welsh Chief Officer Group Chief Constable Carl Foulkes, call on people to stay home.

The letter states that travelling to a second home does not ordinarily constitute essential travel, and that anyone leaving or remaining away from the place where they are living without a reasonable excuse is committing an offence.

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They say:

“Wales is a beautiful and welcoming country but, like other administrations across the United Kingdom, the Welsh Government has placed restrictions on non-essential travel at this time of national emergency.

“We have also limited access to our national parks, and imposed restrictions on caravan and campsites, hotels, B&Bs and holiday accommodation. These businesses can currently open only in response to a request from the Welsh Government or a local authority.

“We have taken this action to protect health and protect our NHS by limiting the transmission of Covid-19 in communities in Wales.

“The vast majority of people are respecting the restrictions and are making strong efforts to adhere to them. We are asking everyone to continue to respect these measures. In particular, we are asking all owners of second homes in Wales to act responsibly and to avoid travelling to those homes until restrictions have been lifted.

“Crucially, they are also putting themselves and the communities to which they travel at risk. They are placing an avoidable strain on the police, adding pressure to our health services and additional demands on supply chains.

“It is vital that we minimise transmission rates: ensuring that we travel only when essential and permitted plays a key part in this.

“We look forward to welcoming you back once it is safe again to do so. Until then please stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.”