BOLTON residents have joined the growing voices demanding Scotland reverse its travel restrictions which effectively bans people from the town crossing the border.

The Bolton News reported how leader of Bolton Council Cllr David Greenhalgh had met with the Government urging it to lobby Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to overturn the controversial decision.

On Friday,  Metro Mayor Andy Burnham, who has been engaged in a war of words with Ms Sturgeon over the ban being extended to cover Manchester and Salford,  added to the call to take Bolton off the list in light of its falling covid infection rates.

He said: "Scotland do a weekly review of their travel ban.

"Based on latest stats, there’s no justification for Bolton remaining in. Parts of England and Scotland have much higher rates.

"The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has just called on Scottish government to lift the Bolton ban."

Readers of The News agreed people from the town should not be prevented from entering Scotland in our comments section.

Fletch83 said: "Nobody should be banned from travelling anywhere certainly in this country

"The link between cases and deaths has been broken, they are not leading to hospital admissions either."

Keithyno1 said: " Can you imagine if it was the other way round, and the Westminster government banned people from certain Scottish towns where the Covid case rate is higher than here in Bolton, visiting anywhere in England?

"Sturgeon would be apoplectic with rage."

He adds: "Why should we continue to be singled out by Sturgeon? Because Bolton had very high rates a few weeks ago the people of this town should be treated like lepers by the rest of the country forever?

"And again, could you imagine the outcry, if it was the other way round, and people from a town in Scotland were banned from visiting England, full stop?

Others like SteveG said people should ignore the travel ban, others pointed out there would be few places they could stay.

SteveG commented: "The people heeding the travel ban, must be a sandwich short of a picnic, many have travelled to Scotland from Bolton recently with no problem whatsoever."

Inthe middle said: "Depends - most hotels, campsites and cottage owners have cancelled bookings of anyone with a Bolton postcode. So yes in theory you can drive over the border but you can't stay

NolaMac said "This affects our family as we have grandchildren, son and his wife living in Scotland but this is again various politicians from all parties playing with peoples lives.

"It might be nice (but it will not happen) if the people making these decisions might share on what basis it was made and at what point the restriction might be withdrawn."

Notlob1 said: "I've not seen my family for two years. It's sad but ultimately a price paid for living elsewhere."

And added that people could meet half way or on the boarders.