A negative Covid test will now be required to enter England from Friday

Travellers must now show evidence of a negative Covid test to enter England.

The rules will be in place for international travellers from 4am on Friday, after the government announced the plans last week. 

Passengers will be required to take a test 72 hours before departure, whether that be by plane, train or ferry, and then provide evidence of a negative result. If this cannot be provided they will be refused permission to board. 

Ministers explain that the move comes as a response to worsening transmission around the world, particularly of the new variants. 

Those arriving in the UK will still be required to isolate for 10 days or opt for the test-to-release programme, which could see arrivals released on the fifth day of a new negative test. 

The transport minister Robert Courts said: “Both globally and domestically we are seeing significant increases in levels of coronavirus, including the emergence of worrying new strains.

“It is therefore imperative that we ensure we are doing all we can to protect travel, reduce the risk of imported infections, including from new variants, and protect our NHS while national lockdown and vaccinations take effect.”

The rule will also apply to British nationals who would need to stay abroad and follow the local rules if they test positive.

Passengers found at the border who are non-compliant will be fined at least £500. The Guardian reports that the onus will be on airlines or the transport operator to check for a negative test and deny boarding. 

Children under 11 as well as hauliers and transport operators’ crew will be exempt. 

The measures are likely to be in place until the end of lockdown, but will probably be reviewed before then. 

Chief executive of industry body Airlines UK, Tim Alderslade, said: “This is a national health emergency and ministers need to act to keep the country safe.

“It is true that much of the sector has been lobbying for pre-departure testing – but this was always predicated on the government removing or reducing the quarantine period at the same time. Now we have both.”

He explained that the policy must be a ‘time-limited, emergency measure only’, adding that ‘we cannot afford for this to be baked in over the whole summer’.