OXLEY Police are taking no risks when it comes to letting people in from the Greater Sydney region, with officers checking passengers who arrive at the Tamworth train station.
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In fact, police across the state have been instructed to keep an eye out for anybody who may be coming from locations that are meant to be in lockdown, but are accessing public transport to travel to regional areas.
Tamworth officers are conducting checks daily, but according to acting inspector Dave Wheatley people have behaved themselves, so far.
"To be honest, we've had no issues at all. We've had obviously quite a few people that have come out of Sydney as a result of being discharged from hospital, or being down and back for medical appointments," he said.
"But as far as anyone deliberately breaching it [the lockdown] no, not at this point in time," he said.
With 65 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Wednesday in NSW, and the Greater Sydney region told to stay in lockdown until at least the end of the month, compliance operations have been in full force. Over Wednesday and Thursday, more than 200 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for breaching public health orders were handed out.
Acting inspector Wheatley said local police would remain on high alert.
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"They're ongoing, and it'll be an ongoing pattern for us until such time as the current restrictions are eased and Sydney is removed from lockdown," he said.
"Once that happens things will certainly change for us, but at the moment that will be ongoing from now until at least the 30th of this month."
The end of restrictions can't come soon enough for some local businesses that have been struggling in recent weeks.
Southside Kitchen has been forced to close its doors on Mondays and Tuesdays, as the financial strain worsens.
South Tamworth Bowling Club CEO Owen Walker, who operates Southside Kitchen, posted on social media that while the decision was difficult, it was necessary.
"These restrictions have impacted normal trading significantly and therefore we feel that some operational changes are required to protect the club's financial position during these times," he said.
"The team and management have reviewed club operations and looked at ways of reducing costs so that unnecessary losses do not eventuate."
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