Q&A: What are the new Covid travel rules in Wales?

Wales has taken another step out of lockdown, with travel restrictions further relaxed and non-essential retail re-opening.

But what does this mean for our ability to move around the country?

Yes. The border has reopened between the two countries and people are allowed to travel in both directions.

Once you are there, you can visit a pub or cafe garden (unlike in Wales just yet) with up to six people from individual households, or any number from two households.

The change also means that many will now be able to see friends or family members living in England for the first time in months, and meet outdoors, including in someone's garden.

However, with bubble rules not due to be changed until 3 May, you can only meet up to six people from two households in a private garden, should maintain social distancing, and should not enter their home or stay overnight.

You can also go to the zoo or theme park, visit a leisure centre or gym, and as in Wales you can get your hair cut and go to any reopened shop.

The stay-local rule within Wales was lifted on 27 March, coinciding with the start of the Welsh school holidays to allow people to take holidays after self-contained accommodation reopened on the same day.

Holiday operators are now hoping tourism into Wales will bring a much-needed economic boost to the sector.

Andrew Campbell, chair of Wales Tourism Alliance, told BBC Radio Wales the border reopening was "really good news".

"It represents another step on the road to recovery for our beleaguered tourism industry. We do have a huge dependency upon the markets in England, and as much as it's nice to have the country to yourself we have to consider businesses and jobs," he said.

"It's a slow start. The information we're getting from our businesses is that May is the pickup, it's going to be a very, very busy summer I think."

One place where the border closure has had a real impact is in the water.

Canal boat holidays, like other self-contained accommodation, were allowed to restart on 27 March, but on the Llangollen canal they had to turn back once they got to the border.

Now the boats can run freely in either direction.

Carl Cowlinshaw, who runs a narrowboat hire company which has about 120 boats in England and Wales, said it had been a "very busy day".

Mr Cowlinshaw said many people wanted to travel to enjoy "some of the Welsh wonders" from the Llangollen canal, but people were still being cautious.

"They'll be zipping all over the place from today," he said.

This is where the advice can become more confusing. You are allowed to leave Wales to travel to "other parts of the UK and the Common Travel Area" (which covers the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands).

However, currently only essential travel is allowed into Scotland and this is not due to lift until 26 April at the earliest. So, unless you have a reason covered by essential travel, such as work, education or health care for example, you cannot go there.

Northern Ireland has just relaxed its "stay-home" message, changing to a "stay-local" guidance but, like Scotland, it is only permitting essential travel into and out of the region.

With the resumption of in-person schooling for all pupils and the re-opening of shops, more cars are being seen around towns and cities.

Traffic Wales warned drivers earlier there were higher levels of traffic on the roads and advised people to allow more time for journeys.

Data from the Welsh Government's Traffic Wales body shows levels of traffic have been rising since January after taking a sharp dip when the most recent lockdown began just before Christmas.

However they remain some way off the levels reached once the first lockdown had been eased during last summer.

Transport for Wales, which runs rail services, said that since 27 March its service levels had increased to 85% of pre-pandemic levels.

Passenger numbers are running at about 20-30% of pre-pandemic figures, although they are higher now compared with the periods of national lockdown, when they fell to 5-15%.

A spokesman said a "capacity checker" service was available on the company's website to help people check the amount of space available on particular services before travelling, to help with social distancing.

An increased security presence is also in place to ensure customers follow Covid rules. Measures also include increased cleaning focusing on high-impact areas, mobile plastic barriers and face-covering rules.

A number of bus firms, including Arriva and First Cymru, have advised customers they would be making changes to services and timetables from 12 April as lockdown eased.

Stagecoach, which operates across south Wales, said it had reverted to pre-lockdown timetables from 28 March.

Cardiff Bus said its service levels had been back to 80% of pre-pandemic levels for a few weeks to reflect lockdown changes, adding: "Today has been our busiest Monday for a number weeks as non-essential retail has reopened and school has resumed.

"We expect this to continue building as the week progresses."