Shapps hints costs of foreign flights could rise to cut levy on domestic trips

Grant Shapps today hailed plans to cut Air Passenger Duty for domestic flights – but hinted that foreign travel costs might have to rise as a result. The Transport Secretary said the current system where return journeys within the UK could face a higher levy than trips abroad was ‘bizarre’. In a round of broadcast … Read more

Grant Shapps says vaccine passports COULD happen after US talks – despite No10 ruling them out

Grant Shapps revealed today he has had talks with foreign politicians about an  ‘internationally recognised system’ of allowing travellers to prove they have had a Covid jab. The Transport Secretary made the admission despite Downing Street insisting for weeks that it has no plans to introduce ‘vaccine passports’ that would prove the holder’s coronanvirus immunity.  … Read more

Grant Shapps warns over-50s to think twice before booking summer break

Grant Shapps warns over-50s to think twice before booking a summer break despite growing vaccine hopes as easyJet holidays cancels trips until late March because of UK lockdown rules Holiday firms reported spike in bookings from older people amid vaccine rollout But Grant Shapps suggested today people should think twice before booking The Transport Secretary … Read more

Quarantine for travellers testing Covid negative cut to five days Grant Shapps announces

Quarantine for travellers is cut to just five days for anyone who tests negative for Covid, Grant Shapps announces Grant Shapps unveiled new ‘Test to Release’ service starting on December 15 Means travellers not from corridor countries only need five day self-isolation if they test negative for Covid Botswana and Saudi Arabia have recently been … Read more

Grant Shapps announces quarantine exemption for business travellers

Grant Shapps announces ‘high-value’ business travellers returning to England will be EXEMPT from quarantine rules from Saturday – but only if they have been ‘undertaking specific business activity’ – while sport stars will also be given a free pass Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tonight announced an easing of travel rules   ‘High-value’ business travellers returning to … Read more

Grant Shapps: 800 miles of roadworks will be cleared for Christmas

Driving home for Christmas? Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says almost 800 miles of roadworks will be cleared for five-day bubble period as the Government tries to prevent travel chaos Grant Shapps said 778 miles of motorway and A-road roadworks will be cleared Government is also postponing a wave of planned rail network maintenance Ministers hope … Read more

Grant Shapps admits new Covid cycle lanes have caused traffic jams and hit 999 calls 

Covid cycle lanes HAVE been chaos: Grant Shapps admits new routes brought in during pandemic have caused traffic jams and hit 999 calls Grant Shapps criticised councils causing gridlock with badly designed schemes  He blamed the London Mayor Sadiq Khan for some of worst cycle lanes  Department for Transport will  spend £2billion on cycle lanes … Read more

Coronavirus UK: Grant Shapps reduces quarantine to FIVE DAYS

Quarantine for UK arrivals could be scrapped altogether early in the New Year, Grant Shapps said today – as he announced that the self-isolation period will be slashed to five days next month.  From December 15 travellers will be able to pay around £120 for a private Covid test in order to reduce their time … Read more

Grant Shapps adds Italy to travel quarantine ‘red list’

Holidays to Italy are OFF as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps adds yet another country to England’s travel quarantine ‘red list’ despite it having a lower coronavirus rate than the UK – but trips to Crete are now allowed again Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced Italy being added to ‘red list’ Anyone returning to England … Read more

Quarantine BEFORE flying? Grant Shapps is considering letting UK arrivals complete isolation abroad

UK arrivals could complete self-isolate before coming to Britain or undergo a shortened quarantine and then be released if they pass a Covid test under plans being examined to try to spark life back into international travel. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said tonight that a ‘Global Travel Taskforce’ would build … Read more