Since this current lockdown began I have driven once to meet another person for a walk. I drove 7 miles from my home to Ham Hill country park. I was intending this week to drive 9 miles to meet someone and walk but have now decided not to go and to only walk from home.
I do not believe that driving those distances on my own adds to the risk of catching and spreading the virus in fact to the contrary I think it is far safer to drive to a more remote area than it is to start a walk from a built up area.
I have decided not to drive because I do not want the opinion of a ill informed police officer to cost me £200.
What it needs is for somebody to challenge a fine in court and rectify the situation.
The rules are ambiguos and 'local' isnt defined clearly. The law likes clarity. This is the real reason that Derbyshire Police backed down with the two ladies they fined. Those two individuals were prepared to force a legal decision and had backing from MP's and lawyers and lots of publicity etc.
The Police would have lost the case and then a precedent would have been set they didnt want as it would open the floodgates for travel.
Relying on individuals, policemen or not, own personal slant of any rule just leads to a mess. I mean, describing a coffee as a picnic - just ridiculous.