, Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on
the Government’s plans to manage Christmas travel, said:
“It’s welcome that Ministers have finally announced a plan for
Christmas travel but there are still many unanswered questions.
“The Government must ensure engineering works do not clash with
the limited window in which people can travel and that all peak
fares are suspended during the travelling period, not just leave
it up to operators.
“We must not lose sight of the fact that Covid has not gone away.
Ministers must take charge of the situation to ensure passengers
do not face Christmas travel chaos and risks to their health on
overcrowded services."
Ends
Notes to editors
- People will be able to travel around the country to see family
for a limited period between 23 December and 27 December.
- The government has not clarified whether works on the East
Coast Mainline will go ahead as scheduled on 27 December - the
last day on which passengers can travel home
- Last weekend Labour called for a comprehensive travel plan
which included:
- Mass coronavirus testing of transport workers, including train
staff, bus drivers and highway personnel
- Delaying by a few days the planned engineering works on the
East Coast Mainline to allow people travelling to return home on
27 December
- Instructing Highways England to postpone non-essential road
maintenance to help reduce congestion and travel delays.
