US maintains travel ban on UK residents over Delta variant fears July 26, 2021 The White House has maintained a travel ban on the UK and the EU’s schengen zone due to fears over the highly transmissible Delta variant. The ban has now been in place since last March when it was implemented by former President Donald Trump. A White House official told Reuters today: “Given where we are [...]
TfL still facing £500m funding gap as network unveils slimmer budget July 26, 2021 Transport for London (TfL) today revealed that it is facing a £500m funding gap for this financial year as it continues to try to broker a long-term financial package with the government. In its revised budget, published this afternoon, the transport network revealed that it would need £1.9bn of funding for 2021/22, down from the [...]
Ryanair posts €273m net loss as restrictions continue to ‘wreak havoc’ July 26, 2021 Ryanair has posted a net loss of €273m (£233m) as pandemic travel restrictions continue to “wreak havoc” on the airline industry. Despite the loss, the Irish airline took home some €371m in the weeks to 30 June, up from €125m in the same period last year. Shares were up 4.1 per cent in its afternoon [...]
Heathrow warns UK falling behind Europe as losses hit £2.9bn July 26, 2021 Heathrow Airport this morning warned that it was falling behind European rivals because of the continuing restrictions on international travel. The UK’s largest airport said it had racked up losses of £2.9bn over the past six months, as vaccination travel rules and pricey tests continue to hamper the airline industry’s recovery. Passenger numbers remain a [...]
Coast Capital launches bid to oust First Group boss July 26, 2021 Coast Capital has this morning reignited its ongoing battle with First Group by calling for the resignation of the FTSE 250 firm’s chief executive Matthew Gregory, along with two other board members. The New York-based firm, which owns about 14 per cent of First Group, has been locked in a series of skirmishes with the [...]
Train passengers braced for pingdemic chaos amid restaurant closure threat July 24, 2021 British rail passengers are braced for a summer of travel chaos after a string of operators prepare for mass cancellations due to the so-called pingdemic. At least seven train networks have been granted government approval to impose emergency timetables as a result of a severe shortage of drivers and crew. The measures could reportedly last [...]
‘Pingdemic’: Transport workers set for exemption, Shapps says July 23, 2021 Some transport workers will be exempt from having to isolate if they are “pinged” by the NHS Covid-19 app, the government has announced this evening. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said that testing would be introduced at a number of key transport sites around the country. It comes after a number of rail franchises announced that [...]
London Tories call for Khan to reopen van and lorry scrappage scheme July 23, 2021 London’s Conservatives have today written to Mayor Sadiq Khan urging him put £50m from City Hall’s business rates reserves towards reopening scrappage schemes for vans and heavy vehicles ahead of the expansion of the ULEZ zone. Although Khan has so far provided £61m to drivers looking to trade in non-ULEZ compliant vehicles, the van and [...]
CMA urges action to fix electric vehicle charge point ‘postcode lottery’ July 23, 2021 The UK’s competition watchdog has today urged the government to accelerate the roll-out of its electric vehicle charging points, describing the current situation as a “postcode lottery”. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that it was particularly concerned by the choice and availability of chargepoints at motorway service stations. It also said that the [...]
Shapps: Government to review £27bn roads plan after Covid-19 reshaped travel July 22, 2021 The government is set to review its £27bn roads investment plan after Covid-19 reshaped travel, the transport secretary said today. Lockdown measures like working from home and online shopping have had permanent impacts on the UK’s travel routines. “In the last eighteen months, fundamental changes have occurred in commuting, shopping, and business travel, which before [...]