UK invests £20m to improve roadside facilities for lorry drivers April 13, 2022 The UK Government announced today it will invest £20m to improve roadside facilities for lorry drivers. Part of National Highways’ £169m Users and Communities fund, the investment will go towards improving drivers’ showers, eating and security facilities. “We are dedicated to improving the experience of everyone using our roads and remain committed to working closely [...]
Coastguard reinspects P&O vessel but detains another April 13, 2022 P&O’s vessel the Pride of Kent was reinspected today at the company’s request, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said. “All inspections have to satisfy the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that the ferries fulfil the requirement of the Port State Control regime and are safe to put to sea,” a MCA spokesperson said. “There are [...]
EU ports ask bloc for ‘clear list’ of banned Russian vessels April 13, 2022 European ports have asked Brussels for a “clear list” of Russian vessels that need to be banned following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) expressed its support for the EU’s latest round of sanctions against Russia but stressed the importance of having a clear and uniform approach to the boycott in [...]
Strike could stop production at Mini’s Cowley plant, says union April 13, 2022 A strike action could stop production at Mini’s Cowley plant, said the union Unite today after 150 workers voted in favour of walkout. Unite said the strike will run for eight days between the end of April and May after an “inadequate” pay was offered by employer Rudolph and Hellman Automotive. “Our Rudolph and Hellman [...]
Union calls on Avanti West Coast to withdraw see-through uniforms following staff complaints April 13, 2022 The union RMT today called on Avanti West Coast to withdraw its new uniforms after staff complained about them being see-through. “We have received a large number of complaints from members on the West Coast Mainline who have been issued with these flimsy new blouses and shirts by Avanti which are basically transparent,” said RMT’s [...]
Leaked letter reveals Priti Patel knew about Easter travel chaos in March April 13, 2022 A leaked letter has revealed Home Secretary Priti Patel was informed about Easter travel chaos last month. Aviation trade body Airlines UK – which represents the majority of carriers operating in the country – told Patel a shortage of Border Force staff could lead to travel disruption and chaos ahead of the peak season. Airlines’ [...]
UK coastguard detains latest P&O boat Spirit of Britain April 13, 2022 The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today it has detained P&O Ferries’ latest vessel, the Spirit of Britain. Coastguard agents said the boat was not allowed to sail after safety issues were identified – potentially putting in jeopardy P&O’s return to operations. P&O initially said it was restarting services between Dover and Calais last [...]
BA ‘lures’ cabin crew from rivals with £1,000 welcome bonus April 12, 2022 British Airways (BA) is reportedly trying to “lure” cabin crew members away from rivals with a £1,000 welcome bonus. The airline said it was looking for cabin crew “with attestation and hold a current Heathrow or Stansted airside ID,” who could start working before the summer. According to the job description, the £1,000 will be [...]
Car rentals double this month amid Easter travel chaos April 12, 2022 Car rentals have doubled ahead of Easter weekend, as Brits come up with alternatives while travel disruption wreaks havoc among the country’s transport network. According to data from Volkswagen Financial Services UK (VWFS), rentals on online platform Rent-a-Car have gone up 148 per cent on last year. “Lots of people have been waiting a long [...]
UK invests £7.6m in rail innovation competition April 12, 2022 The UK Government announced today it will invest £7.6m in rail innovation competition First of a Kind. A joint venture between the Department for Transport (DfT) innovation agency Innovate UK, the competition aims to find new ways to innovate the railway sector, focusing especially on decarbonisation solutions. This year, First of a Kind will focus [...]