Don't travel to the Isle of Wight from Covid Tier Three, the leader of the Isle of Wight Council is warning.

Cllr Dave Stewart has called the government decision to put the Isle of Wight in Tier One 'good news' for hospitality and business, here, but he is urging caution - for Islanders, and for those visiting from the mainland.

Only the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are in the lowest tier - Tier One (Medium).

All ports of entry to the Island - Portsmouth, Southampton and Ryde - are in Tier Two and there are no legal rules stopping cross-Solent travel.

Instead, government guidance says those in Tier Two must continue to follow Tier Two rules when travelling to a Tier One area

Visit Isle of Wight says it is working with the Isle of Wight Council to ensure that visitors can enjoy everything on offer, while maintaining our Tier One status. They say visitors should:

• Wear a face covering when required

• Maintain social distancing

• Wash hands regularly

• Travel only from Tiers One and Two

• Adhere to all advice and restrictions

Isle of Wight County Press:

Will Myles, Visit Isle of Wight

Will Myles, Managing Director of Visit Isle of Wight said: "Our Isle of Wight community has worked hard to keep the infection rates low and we are reminding our visitors to respect that effort by following the guidelines and following the measures that have been put in place by the Government, the local authority and the businesses here. "Our message to visitors is that when choosing somewhere to stay, we thank you for choosing the Isle of Wight.

"Please respect what the local community has achieved in keeping infection rates low and help us to ensure that the Island will always be the place for people to enjoy. "We hope that when planning your next staycation, you will choose the Wight way to travel."

Isle of Wight County Press:

Cllr Dave Stewart, Isle of Wight Council leader

Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart, said: "Being placed in Tier One will come as a huge relief to many businesses across the Island, who will now be able to reopen in time for the festive holiday season. "This is also good news for the hospitality industry here on the Island, but we must remember that our priority must continue to be following the public health guidelines and ensuring we do not see a future spike in case numbers. "Likewise, visitors to the Island must appreciate why we have a relatively lower rate of infection here than the rest of the country and help us to keep it that way."

He has urged people heading to the Isle of Wight to be considerate and to protect themselves and others.

Travel options are set to increase from Saturday, December 5.

Ferry firm Wightlink has announced Fastcats will run weekdays at 07:15 (07:47 from Ryde) until 16:15 (16:47 from Ryde) (largely excluding normal commuter hours), and at slightly different times at the weekend.

Sailings on its car ferry routes will increase.

Covid: Wightlink FastCats resume and Yarmouth route increases

Hovertravel has told passengers to expect an increase in passengers.

Covid travel: 'Expect more passengers' Hovertravel tells customers

Red Funnel said: “Red Funnel will continue to operate business as usual following the latest government announcements. Consistent with all travel guidance issued by the government in response to the pandemic to date, compliance with the latest travel guidelines remains an individual, civic responsibility.

Anyone considering travel to (or from) the Isle of Wight should check the guidance which applies to the Tier in which they reside and ensure to comply with the latest rules.

Most notably, residents in Tier 3 areas should NOT travel to the Isle of Wight for leisure trips at this time.”