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Refunds pledge for scrapped Christmas travel plans
All cancelled rail or coach journeys over Christmas in England will be refunded, the government says.
UK travel news – live: Talks to reopen French border continue as airlines bring in new testing rules
Follow all the latest developments from the road and rail network to the seas and skies
Dover dealt a dose of trucking hell as lorry drivers blast horns [Subscription]
Tensions erupted in Dover yesterday as lorries packed its streets and furious drivers blasted horns and drove in tight circles outside the port entrance in protest at the closure of the border.
Tuesday, 22 December 2020
BBC News
- Covid Wales: Ferry passengers stranded trying to get to IrelandFerries heading to Ireland from Wales have banned passengers over Covid fears, leaving them stranded a ports such as Holyhead.
- Refunds pledge for scrapped Christmas travel plansAll cancelled rail or coach journeys over Christmas in England will be refunded, the government says.
- Life on the road for truckers amid ports chaosThe French ban on hauliers travelling from the UK has added to disruption in ports such as Dover.
- Covid-19: UK and France aim to restart freight as queues growHundreds of lorries are held up in Kent as politicians thrash out a plan to reopen the border.
Financial Times
- Scramble to reopen Channel border as world retreats from UKFears over new variant of coronavirus send markets lower and spur more countries to impose travel bans
- Airlines take fresh hit as travel bans spreadFlights cancelled and shares slide as new Covid-19 variant sparks tighter restrictions
- Hauliers count losses as lorry queues grow in Kent after French port closureOperation Stack triggered to hold trucks on M20 while exporters try to find routes to Europe
- Ryanair cancels UK routes in dispute with regulatorCAA denies changing rules on aircraft leasing as carrier tries to navigate beyond Brexit transition
The Guardian
- Passengers in England to receive refunds for cancelled Christmas travelGovernment offers money back for train or coach tickets after tougher Covid rules imposedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTrain and coach passengers in England who have cancelled their Christmas travel plans will have their bookings refunded, the government has announced.The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said customers would not be left out of pocket for “doing the right thing” amid the tightening of Covid-19 restrictions across the UK. Continue reading...
- Apple plans self-driving car 'in 2024 with next-level battery technology'It has been a bumpy ride for Apple’s Project Titan, but sources suggest a passenger vehicle may not be far offApple is moving forward with self-driving car technology and is targeting 2024 to produce a passenger vehicle that could include its own battery technology, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.The iPhone maker’s automotive efforts, known as Project Titan, have proceeded unevenly since 2014 when it first started to design its own vehicle from scratch. At one point, Apple scaled back the effort to focus on software and reassessed its goals. Doug Field, an Apple veteran who had w...
The Herald
- Royal Mail and Parcelforce make major changes to Christmas scheduleRoyal Mail and Parcelforce have suspended all postal services to Europe, effective immediately.
- Mutant coronavirus strain: Talks with France continueTalks with France on reopening full trade and transport across the Channel are ongoing as the UK Governments chief scientific adviser said more restrictions may be needed at home because cases of a mutant strain of Covid were now appearing everywhere.
The Huffington Post
- Royal Mail Suspends Almost All Mail Services To Europe Amid Covid Travel Restrictions
- British Airways Agrees To 'Pre-Departure Testing' For Passengers Flying To New York From UK
The Independent
- UK travel news – live: Talks to reopen French border continue as airlines bring in new testing rulesFollow all the latest developments from the road and rail network to the seas and skies
The Telegraph
Times Online
- Signature Aviation gives 3.2bn private equity offer from Blackstone wings [Subscription]A British company that made its name looking after Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Second World War looks set to be snapped up by US private equity.
- Gritting sensors will tackle cold weather chaos on Scotlands roads [Subscription]A sensor system that tells gritters which spots to target is being piloted on Scottish roads.
- Tesla loses spark on S&P 500 debut [Subscription]Teslas first day of trading as a member of the S&P 500 was a damp squib as its shares fell by more than 6 per cent.
- Great divide remains over name of the Severn Bridge [Subscription]The English want the Queen, the Welsh want Aneurin Bevan and never the twain shall meet, at least not on a mile-long steel bridge across the Severn.
- Dover dealt a dose of trucking hell as lorry drivers blast horns [Subscription]Tensions erupted in Dover yesterday as lorries packed its streets and furious drivers blasted horns and drove in tight circles outside the port entrance in protest at the closure of the border.
- Chaos at ports could last until Christmas Eve [Subscription]Disruption at British ports is expected at least until Christmas Eve as France proposes compulsory tests on lorry drivers to limit the spread of a more contagious strain of coronavirus.
City AM
- Breakthrough at Dover on the cards today as politicians work to ease blockadeThere are hopes the chaos at Dover could be eased today, as politicians thrash out a place to restart travel. The post Breakthrough at Dover on the cards today as politicians work to ease blockade appeared first on CityAM.
- Border closures force Toyota to shut three plants early for ChristmasToyota plans to shut production at three plants in Britain and France early for Christmas, due to likely part shortages The post Border closures force Toyota to shut three plants early for Christmas appeared first on CityAM.
The Mirror
- Lorry drivers stuck for second night as talks with France to ease curbs progressAnnoyed drivers were filmed blasting their horns in frustration but measures agreed between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron will be announced on Tuesday
Sky News
- Royal Mail halts deliveries to Europe amid transport turmoilRoyal Mail has halted deliveries to Europe, except for the Republic of Ireland, due to a UK travel ban triggered by the discovery of a new faster spreading coronavirus strain.
- Details of plan to reopen France border with the UK could soon be announcedTalks with France on reopening full trade and transport across the Channel are "ongoing" and "details of a plan could be announced as early as today", Sky News has learned.
Birmingham Post
- Brittany Ferries in emergency talks after lorries banned from sailing to FrancePlymouth-headquartered firm says freight and passengers unable to board ships at Portsmouth after new strain of Covid discovered
- The picture across UK ports as Covid-19 and Brexit collideFrance has imposed a 48-hour travel ban amid concerns over the new fast spreading strain of Covid-19 while Brexit has seen an unusually busy period for ports as the UK.
- Port of Liverpool 'well placed' for traffic increase as border chaos continuesFrance shut its border with the UK for 48 hours on Sunday over fears of a new, more infectious strain of Covid-19
- UK's biggest port forced to hold back vessels in Covid hit Brexit rushDFDS reports how cargo ships have had to sit it out in the Humber - before any southern surge as French borders closed
Bolton News
- Passengers will be refunded for cancelled Christmas tickets Grant Shapps said customers will not be “left out of pocket” for “doing the right thing” amid the tightening of Covid-19 restrictions across the UK.
- Cab drivers travelling from Tier 3 to Tier 2 areas warned Police have clamped down on taxi-drivers who have been travelling into Merseyside from Tier 3 areas.
- Royal Mail and Parcelforce make major changes to Christmas schedule Royal Mail and Parcelforce have suspended all postal services to Europe, effective immediately.
Bradford Telegraph & Argus
- Are Christmas presents covered by your car insurance? Whilst we’d like to think nobody would steal Christmas presents, it can happen, so it’s worth checking the details of your car insurance provider.
Bristol Live
- First Bus apologises for packed service with 'no social distancing'A woman filmed the footage below during her journey this morning
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
- New e-scooters coming to Newcastle in 2021 revealedNeuron Mobility has been chosen by Newcastle City Council to deploy the environmentally-friendly fleet of two-wheeled vehicles, in a bid to get more people out of their cars
Peterborough Telegraph
- This is Ryanairs advice to customers after many EU countries announce UK flight banRyanair has issued an urgent statement to customers after some EU countries banned the entry of UK flights.
- This is Ryanairs advice to customers after many EU countries announce UK flight banRyanair has issued an urgent statement to customers after some EU countries banned the entry of UK flights.
Other Regional Press
- £40,000 scheme will see car park at St Mark's Recreation Ground extendedThousands of pounds will be spent extending the St Mark’s Recreation Ground car park.
- Countries across the world restrict travel from UK and freight lorries face disruption BORISJohnson will hold crisis talks with ministers after France banned lorries carrying freight from the UK and countries around the world ended flights amid fears over the new mutant coronavirus strain.
- Lorries queued at port as Covid crisis worsensBUSINESS leaders in Hampshire have urged the government to get freight moving again after Britain found itself cut off from large parts of Europe.
- Oxford Tube to London suspended as capital goes into Tier 4 Covid restrictions Stagecoach in Oxfordshirehasannounced the suspension of the Oxford Tube coach service as London and the South East goes into Tier 4 Covid restrictions.
- Tram link across Thames 'will be a win-win'A proposal to connect parts of Kent to Essex via a tram link across the River Thames has been backed by multiple organisations.
- Highways England could face manslaughter charges over M1 deathThe coroner has said it would be up to the CPS to decide if manslaughter charges are appropriate
- The 6 Christmas driving mistakes that could land you fines of up to 5,000Experts urge motorists to not make Christmas driving mistakes like singing behind the wheel to avoid a hefty fine
- Work to start on multi-storey car park at DCH in JanuaryThe new year will see work start on Dorset County Hospital’s long-awaited multi-storey car park - a move bosses describe as a 'hugely significant and exciting period in DCH’s history'.
C.N.N.
- 2 passengers open Delta flight cabin door and slide out of moving plane with a dog at La GuardiaTwo passengers aboard a Delta flight bound for Atlanta opened a cabin door and activated the slide to exit the plane while it was taxiing out to a runway at New York's La Guardia Airport Monday morning, Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant told CNN.
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- TfL and its partners commence further feasibility work on extending DLR into Thamesmead to support new homes and growthTransport for London (TfL) has begun further feasibility work on a proposed extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, following the confirmation of the new Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF). The feasibility work will be carried out by TfL and a joint commission between Arup and Atkins for design, engineering and environmental assessment and with Aecom for socio-economic support. It will be fully funded by external partners through a 1m joint funding agreement between the London Borough of Newham, the Roy...
- Check an HGV is Ready to Cross the Border service is available nowThe Check an HGV is Ready to Cross the Border service is now live. It is designed to make it quick and easy for hauliers to check that they have the right customs documentation for the goods theyre carrying before setting off preventing any unnecessary journeys and reducing disruption at the border. It is also the service that issues Kent Access Permits (KAP) to drivers travelling to the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel. A KAP will be required regardless of agreement of the outcome of the negotiations. Drivers can be fined 300 if they do not use the service when tr...
- Government announces refunds for rail and coach journeys booked for previous Christmas travel windowThe government will provide cash refunds for domestic rail and coach tickets for the previous Christmas travel window between 23 to 27 December, bought before the change in regulations and guidance that were announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday 19 December. This will apply to journeys in England booked on or after 24 November, when the Christmas travel window was announced. The government recognises that many people will have booked their coach and rail tickets in advance based on previous government advice. This announcement ensures that people are not penalised for following the new...
Other News Sources
- UK ports in disarray and trade at riskThe UK has been caught in a logistics maelstrom as the year closes out, creating major headaches for businesses and the potential for far greater disruption ahead as Europe discusses a ban on travel to and from the UK and the ongoing Brexit negotiations reach their most critical stage yet. Ports disrupted UK ports have faced major disruption throughout 2020, but this has compounded significantly towards the end of the year. When it comes to typical trade flows into and out of the UK, the port of Felixstowe in Suffolk takes the bulk of the load. This is UK’s largest port and it usually handles ...
- More than 40 countries ban UK arrivals over Covid variantMore countries have imposed travel restrictions on arrivals from the UK to protect themselves against the new variant of the coronavirus.
- British Airways and Virgin won't refund flights for Tier 4 customers British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are refusing to refund Tier 4 customers for trips they can no longer take.
- Newhaven Ferry Port stops all traffic to France for 48 hours NEWHAVEN Ferry Port has suspended all traffic for 48 hours after France placed a temporary ban on travel from the UK.
EIN News Subscription
- More EU nations ban travel from UK amid fears of new virus strain … also suspended services. British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said France … weeks before it leaves the EU's tariff-free … difficult to detect' European countries have announced travel bans … quot;travel to Ireland, by air or sea", though ferry …
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