Random vehicle checks extended for South Wales Police

As previously reported, South Wales Police were granted additional powers to conduct random vehicle checks, following the Welsh Government move to place the whole of Wales under Alert Level Four coronavirus restrictions.

As part of these restrictions the public are urged to stay at home, only travelling for essential purposes, but as some seemed to flout the rules South Wales Police were granted additional power last month.

The coronavirus safety measure was up for review on January 4 and has now been extended to 7pm on Sunday, January 31.

According to Welsh Government, under Level Four restrictions, people should not be leaving their home unless it's essential.

Essential travel includes:

• Obtaining supplies and services - such as food, medicine, essential household maintenance.
• Exercising alone or with members of your household or support bubble. This should start and end at your home address.
• Accessing childcare and education.
• Accessing medical services and donating blood.
• Accessing public services.
• Depositing or withdrawing money from a bank/similar establishment.
• Providing care - including getting food or medicines - for a vulnerable person.
• For work, voluntary or charitable purposes (only where it is not reasonably practicable to do this from home).
• Paying respects at a cemetery, burial ground, or garden of remembrance.
• Attending a place or worship, wedding, civil partnership, or funeral if invited.
• Attending court, meeting legal obligations, or voting.
• Escaping a risk of illness or injury, such as for victims or people at risk of domestic abuse.
• Accessing services provided to victims of crime or domestic abuse or those at imminent risk of becoming victims.

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South Wales Police have the authority to carry out random checks to determine why people are travelling as part of the national effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Officers will continue to adopt the national four Es approach:

• Engaging with the public.
• Explaining the restrictions.
• Encouraging voluntary compliance.
• Enforcement action (for those believed to be purposefully breaching the rules).