As new tier restrictions come in force across the county, Hampshire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable has issued a message from the force.
Hampshire will now see Tier 1, 2 and 3 areas which means people should make sure they are aware of the varying restrictions in each area, with Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant now under Tier 3.
Assistant Chief Constable Maggie Blyth has said:
“Since the introduction of the tier system earlier this month across England in response to Covid-19 we have seen strong partnership working, such as effective licensed premises management with our colleagues from Isle of Wight Council, to mitigate any issues that could be caused by people travelling between tiers.
“As we move into a position from this weekend with parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight being covered by three different tiers based on local authority boundaries as opposed to postcodes, I’d like to reassure our communities that our approach will continue to be to engage, explain and encourage people to comply with the regulations in place in their area. We will use common sense and discretion to determine what is reasonable. However we will enforce where blatant breaches are observed.
“We will not be preventing people from travelling from one area to another, but are working with ferry operators and partner agencies to ensure that the public is informed about the restrictions in place. Everyone must observe the restrictions from the highest tier that they are travelling from or to at all times.
“We will continue to maintain Covid-19 related patrols, as required, in addition to our usual resourcing as we move through the Christmas and New Year period. This is to address any problems that are identified to us and ensure that people are observing the restrictions that are in place at the given time to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Limiting the spread of infection is primarily the responsibility of public health, and not just down to the police, and we will continue to work with businesses, government, hospitality owners, local authorities, universities and others.
Article continues below this advertisement “I’d urge people to take personal responsibility over the next few weeks. Just because you can travel to different areas doesn’t mean that you have to. Please consider this before putting yourself and your loved ones at risk. I’d also echo the message from Isle of Wight Council to think about how essential your journey is before travelling between the Island and a tier three area, unless it is for work, health or other exempt reasons”.
Again the message is asking Islanders to think about travel, but we won’t discourage anyone from coming here, it’s farcical.
Well said I agree with what you say, its pointless having a tier system if its not enforced, we are an island should be easy to monitor the ferry terminals .
The ferries should be given the authority to check why people are travelling to the Island and also not accept coaches from Tier2/3
can the snow on the screen be removed?
Yes, please! Very distracting.
I agree remove the snow.
Remove the snowflakes and replace with covid symbols
Send an email to the editor requesting this (contact details under the contact tab top right) – I have.
You’d think the Govt causing an extra 200,000 deaths would be big news – but this is just the new normal All the main parties bleat on about case numbers and tiers, while turning a blind eye to the biggest and most horrific scandal for many years
What drugs are you one and can I have some? I lived throw the 80’s and 10% unemployment. We did not have 200,000 deaths. You’re on some really strong reality bending drugs. Or you’re David Ike.
This is a message I got from my daughter who works at Queen Alexandra hospital in portsmouth about her journey home yesterday on the 7pm ferry to Fishbourne.
“There were people sat on the floor as there were not enough chairs. When we got off the ferry we had to walk on the road rather than the side for foot passengers because of the numbers.
I was on my bike and so at the front, I looked behind me and it was just a mass of people. The whole road as far as the eye could see”
Cobblers .
Bloody Brilliant, our daughters schools just phoned up?!lol, the teacher on the phone said our daughter needs to self isolate?! They’ve had a case in class on the 15th Dec!! ummm…you do know it’s the 19th today, I said?! Talk about shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. What a joke!! Honestly…HELLO wakey wakey.
So is the island in lockdown again I don’t understand are we back In lockdown or not ?? Someone help
Which member of the great and the good entitled superiority had a word with the Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary then? Two days ago the Police were issuing fines, and sending home, tourists from Tier 3 areas. Today a statement was issued by the Police saying they cannot stop people from coming to the Island…. Words have been had at high levels, I am sure. I bet, however, I pay comparatively more Council Tax than the complainant does, considering I am on the minimum wage and Ventnor has the highest Council Tax on the Isle of Wight! Honest working locals losing to part time residents once again.
Your on minimum wage, but the other day you was talking about visitors to your business – Has your memory gone !
Tonto
Stickleback.
Now that Tier 4 has been introduced to several mainland areas’,this restriction should now be properly ‘policed’ so surely it would be totally irresponsible for ferry operators to allow anyone from a Tier 4 area to travel to the Island.
Right, so the midnight ferry being completely rammed isnt a blatant breach of the regulations then? And honestly what is the point in asking people “is your journey really necessary?” EVERYONES JOURNEY TO THEM WOULD BE NECESSARY TO THEM! Noone comes to the island for medical appointments it’s the other way around! I’m sure noone travels to the island for education again it’s the other way around! Where is the common sense around these messages from the police and everyone else.
They are telling the general public to use common sense, but it doesn’t seem like any of these public bodies are even using an ounce of common sense themselves!
It’s a complete and utter shambles this whole situation.
Come on IOW police start enforcing the regulations properly, police should of been placed at the ferry ports last night to enforce the tier 4 restrictions because I’m sure I’m not the only one to think that it was a BLATANT disregard of the regulations.
If pubs on the island can ask for proof of where you live then I’m damn sure ferry companies bloody well can.
Complete useless BS.
Stated:-
I’d like to reassure our communities that our approach will continue to be to engage, explain and encourage people to comply with the regulations in place in their area. We will use common sense and discretion to determine what is reasonable. However we will enforce where blatant breaches are observed.
Are people not aware of the Governments rules ?
They are giving people second chances to break the rules.
Surely people must know the rules by now it’s not a if the TV have not been keeping us informed.
It’s like a driver comitting a major driving offfence & then amitting they have no idea about the offence, no enforcement in either situation.
Getting worse by the day!