Driver and passenger doing 100mph arrested on M62 during 200-mile round trip 'to buy food'

Two people have been arrested after driving to West Yorkshire "to buy food".
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

West Yorkshire Police's Roads Policing Unit stopped a silver Lexus at junction 22 of the M62 on Monday night.

The driver had been speeding at 100mph and had no licence or insurance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The motorist told police they were driving back to Staffordshire after visiting Bradford to buy food, a breach of Covid regulations.

Police arrested the driver and passenger of this Lexus (photo: West Yorkshire Police).Police arrested the driver and passenger of this Lexus (photo: West Yorkshire Police).
Police arrested the driver and passenger of this Lexus (photo: West Yorkshire Police).

The passenger and driver were arrested for immigration offences and reported for the coronavirus breach.

Their car was also seized, police added.

What is a 'reasonable excuse' and classed as essential travel during lockdown?

- shopping for basic necessities for you or a vulnerable person or someone who is self-isolating

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

- going to work or to provide voluntary or charitable services if you cannot reasonably do so from home

- seeking medical assistance or avoiding injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)

- attending education or childcare, for those who are eligible (colleges, primary and secondary schools remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers and early years settings remain open)

- for exercise, as long as you do not travel outside your local area

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If you do leave home for one of the permitted reasons, you should always stay in your local area unless it is necessary to go further, for example for work.

The Government website also gives more details on leaving home for essential reasons, including for:

- relevant maternity needs

- compassionate visits to someone who is dying

- for animal welfare reasons such as vet appointments

- communal worship, to attend a funeral or to attend a wedding ceremony (following legal number limits on attendance)

- to visit a burial ground

- to fulfil legal obligations

- to carry out activities related to buying, selling or letting a property

Is travelling for exercise classed as essential?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You should not travel outside of your local area for exercise.

This means you should stay in the village, town, or part of the city where you live to exercise.

Exercise should be limited to once per day.

You can exercise with your household, or legally permitted support bubble, or with one other person.

If exercising with someone outside of your household or support bubble, you should stay two metres apart.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You cannot leave home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a legally permitted support bubble with.

Who does the essential travel guidance apply to?

This guidance is the law, but there is additional guidance for households with a possible or confirmed case of coronavirus.

Anyone with Covid symptoms or a positive test result must stay at home for the full isolation period. This is because they could pass it on to others, even if they don’t have symptoms. The whole household must isolate for the full period too.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you are advised to follow shielding guidance. It is recommended that you do not attend work, school, college or university and you should limit the time you spend outside the home. You should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.