HEAVY traffic has been spotted on cameras entering North Wales on the first weekend since cross-border travel was allowed.

Images show queues of cars on the A494 and A550 entering Flintshire on Friday evening, April 16, just days after travel restrictions between Wales and the rest of the UK have been lifted.

This weekend marks the first time since 2020 that people have been able to cross the England-Wales border for non-essential purposes.

The Welsh Government has issued guidance for those choosing to travel into, out of and around Wales since rules have been relaxed:

A spokesman said: "There are no restrictions in place for travel into or out of Wales as long as you are travelling to or from a country within the UK or wider Common Travel Area (Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).

"However, you will need to check the restrictions in place in the area you are travelling from or to as some countries within the Common Travel Area have travel restrictions in place. This may prevent you from travelling unless you have a reasonable excuse, for example, travelling for work or education."

The spokesman goes on to clarify that, if travelling by public transport, it is encouraged that passengers plan their journey and use apps, such as Transport for Wales’ capacity checker, to try and avoid travelling in busy periods to help maintain proper social distancing.

They continue by saying: "We are asking everyone to think carefully about the journeys they take and the people they meet.

"We should all think carefully about where we go and who we meet because the more places we go and the more people we meet, the greater the chances there are of catching coronavirus.

"In particular, it is also sensible to avoid travelling to and from areas with a higher incidence rate if you can."