Calls for clarity on traveling for exercise after people found in Lake District from hundreds of miles away

The MP for Westmoreland and Lonsdale has asked the Prime Minister to clarify how far people can travel for exercise after Cumbria Police found people from Northamptonshire in the Lake District.

Tim Farron MP said that he had written to Boris Johnson after incidents this weekend of people travelling a long way to go for a walk in the Lakes.

The current government guidance states that people should not travel out of their local area for exercise, but Mr Farron said that the guidance is not clear enough.

Last week two women in Derbyshire were fined for driving to a reservoir to meet for a walk.

In his letter to Boris Johnson, Mr Farron said that he asked for the Government to provide guidance similar to that in Scotland, where people cannot travel more than 5 miles from their local area.

Mr Farron said: "Outdoor exercise is so important for both our physical and mental health.

"But the Government’s very muddy guidance means we have this ludicrous situation where the police are reporting that people are travelling to the Lake District from as far away as Sheffield and Northamptonshire for exercise, while other people are unsure whether they allowed to drive five minutes down the road for a walk in their local park.

"A clear definition of how far we can travel for exercise would give people certainty about what they are able to do while at the same time helps us to stop the spread of this deadly virus."

Earlier today Mr Johsnon warned that the restrictions may have to be tightened if people continue to flout the rules.