A new survey commissioned by the Business Travel Association (BTA) has
revealed that 76 per cent of travellers returning to the UK said their PCR test
result was not looked at or verified by the UK Border Force.
The survey asked more than 500
people who had travelled outside the UK between January and August 2021. Some
97 per cent of those who responded said nobody asked to see their day 2 or day
8 PCR test on their return to the UK.
The same percentage said that PCR testing should be removed for
fully vaccinated travellers returning from green list countries while 86 per
cent of travellers think it should be removed for amber list countries and 13
per cent for red list countries.
The cost of testing was also an issue, with 61 per cent saying PCR
tests for travel should cost between £10 and £20 and 16 per cent of people say they
should be free of charge.
The BTA is calling on the
Government to recognise the findings of their survey and remove testing for
double vaccinated travellers returning from green and amber list countries
alongside introducing a testing price cap of £20.
Clive Wratten, CEO of the BTA,
said: “The findings from our latest travel survey are shocking. It is appalling
to see over 75 per cent of people travelling throughout the last eight months have not
been asked to show their PCR tests on arrival to the UK, some of which cost
over £100 to take.
“As a crucial economic enabler
for the UK and the world, it is pivotal business and leisure travellers can
book with confidence and have access to affordable, accessible testing.
“We hope our data revealed
today will provide a stark reminder to the Government of the many pitfalls of
the UK’s current approach to global travel and testing, and we continue to call
on them to get global travel moving safely, smoothly and securely once again.”