Clarification on Travel in Tier 3 areas

Please read the guidance below

Statement from Northumberland FA and Durham County FA regarding travel

Following The FA and Government announcement regarding the return to football; we have received clarification from the FA and DCMS on the issue of travel within and between Tier 3 areas.

Currently the majority of the North East is in the Tier 3 category. This is split into 2 distinct areas:

  • North East Combined Authority (tier 3)

    Consists of the seven councils County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

  • Tees Valley Combined Authority (tier 3)

The five local authorities of Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland .

Government regulations state that there should be no travel outside of OR BETWEEN Tier 3 combined authority areas.

Therefore clubs and individuals can travel and play within their combined authority Tier 3 area, but they cannot travel to another Tier 3 combined authority area to play football.

For example, if you live in County Durham, you are free to travel to Northumberland to play football because both locations are in the same Combined Authority area.

But if you live in Hartlepool, you CANNOT travel to County Durham to play because this would mean you are travelling between Tees Valley Combined Authority and the North East Combined Authority.

This will clearly have implication for some clubs and individuals who play/reside across the different Tier 3 areas and you should ensure you fully understand and comply with the travel restrictions for your own circumstances.

Exemptions: Travel is permitted where it is necessary to enable sport for disabled people, sport for educational purposes, or supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, to take place, but should still be minimised and kept to short distances only.