THE amber list being scrapped and testing requirements are among the changes to simply travel rules that came into force this morning.

The UK’s traffic light system involving green, amber and red lists has been scrapped, with locations categorised as either on the red list or not.

Fully vaccinated travellers, and unvaccinated under 18s, arriving from non-red list countries will no longer have to take a test before heading to the UK.

But people arriving from a red tier destination will still be required to spend 11 nights at a quarantine hotel costing £2,285 for solo travellers.

All travellers - except children under five years old - will still have to pay for a PCR test two days after arrival.

People who are not fully vaccinated will need a pre-departure test and a PCR test on days two and eight after they return, and must self-isolate for 10 days at home.

The government has said that later this month fully vaccinated people coming to England will no longer have to take a PCR test two days after arrival, being able to take the cheaper lateral flow test instead.

The changes have been welcomed by the travel industry - one of the hardest hit during the pandemic.

Airlines and tour operators had accused the Government of being too slow to relax and simplify the rules for international travel.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, a trade body representing UK carriers, said: “Things are moving in the right direction and the removal of these restrictions will make it easier and cheaper for people to travel.

“We’ve seen a good response to the announcement in terms of bookings and, given current trends, we would hope to see more countries come off the red list and further mutual recognition of vaccine status.

“There is still much to do though. This is not job done, and ministers need to keep in mind that we remain an outlier on arrivals testing for vaccinated passengers.

“In the short-term the removal of PCR testing by the October half-term week is critical, and we look forward to clarity on the start date for this as soon as possible.”

No fixed date has been set for when eligible fully vaccinated travellers arriving in England will be able to use a cheaper lateral flow test rather than a PCR version for the day-two post-arrival test.

The Department for Transport said the government “aims to have it in place for when people return from half-term breaks”.