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Wales Online
2 days ago
- Wales Online
Drivers told 'go early' on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Drivers told 'go early' on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday Millions are expected to be affected this coming weekend Traffic is likely to be heavy in many areas (Image: Steve Parsons/PA) Drivers are being warned over long delays on major routes as 17.6 million getaway trips by car are expected to take place in the UK over the August bank holiday period. The RAC, which issued the alert, urged drivers to set off as early as possible or 'be prepared to spend longer in traffic'. The South East and South West are expected to have some of the worst congestion. Some 3.0 million journeys for holidays or day trips are expected to be made on Friday by drivers looking to make the most of the last long weekend before Christmas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the RAC said. This rises to 3.4 million on Saturday, 2.4 million on Sunday and 2.7 million on Monday. The RAC said an additional 6.1 million drivers are planning a leisure trip at some point between Friday and Monday. The figures are based on responses to a survey of 2,080 UK adults, extrapolated to the 34 million cars licensed in the UK. Transport analytics company Inrix predicted the M5 between Bristol and Devon will have the most severe getaway traffic, with the stretch from junction 15 north of Bristol to junction 23 for Bridgwater likely to see delays of more than 40 minutes on Friday and Saturday. Hold-ups exceeding half an hour are forecast on Friday on the M20 in Kent, which is a route taken by a large proportion of vehicles making Channel crossings via Dover or Folkestone. The warning relates to journeys from junction 7 near Maidstone to junction 3 (Addington Interchange), and from junction 1 at Swanley to junction 5 at Aylesford. RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Nick Mullender said: 'With this bank holiday being the last opportunity to enjoy a long weekend before Christmas, our study shows a real eagerness to get out and about with nearly 18 million drivers planning getaway trips. Article continues below 'More traffic on the roads will inevitably lead to more vehicle breakdowns, especially if the sun makes an appearance and people decide on the day to visit popular destinations. 'We're expecting major roads to airports and coastal destinations to be extremely busy, especially the south-east and south-west regions, which could end up bearing the brunt of most holiday hold-ups. Anyone planning routes through these areas should set off as early as possible or be prepared to spend longer in traffic.' Meanwhile, rail passengers are being warned that some major routes will be closed for engineering work as Network Rail conducts 261 projects across Britain. There will be no long-distance services between London King's Cross and Peterborough on Sunday, disrupting Anglo-Scottish journeys by LNER and Lumo on the East Coast Main Line. Article continues below Avanti West Coast will operate a reduced and amended service to and from London Euston. No services will operate between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International between Saturday and Monday. Affected Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry services will be diverted, extending journey times, while London Northwestern services will run to and from Birmingham International only. Helen Hamlin, Network Rail's chief network operator, said: 'With the August bank holiday weekend approaching, we've carefully planned our engineering work to minimise disruption, allowing people to rely on the railway and make the most of the late summer bank holiday weekend. 'While the vast majority of the railway will be running, works on some parts of the network are unfortunately unavoidable, as we complete major work to support a better, more reliable railway that we wouldn't be able to complete in a normal weekend. So we're asking passengers to check their journeys in advance to ensure their route isn't affected.'
Glasgow Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Heathrow unveils plans to add up to 10 million passengers by 2031
The plan forms the core of the airport's 2027–2031 business proposal, which was submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday. It would require passenger charges being set an average of £33.26 during the period, Heathrow said. That is compared with an average of £28.46 between 2022 and 2026. The plan would create new space within existing terminals equivalent to 10 football pitches, enabling new lounges, restaurants and shops to be built. Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport (Steve Parsons/PA) It would also result in faster security and baggage handling, according to the airport. The airport is seeking to demolish the building previously used as Terminal 1, extend Terminal 2, and build a new southern access road tunnel. Once complete, the project would enable Heathrow to increase its passenger capacity by 12%, equivalent to 10 million more travellers annually. Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: 'We're making good progress on our strategy to become an extraordinary airport – having become Europe's most punctual major airport so far this year. 'But our customers want us to improve our international rankings further, as do we. 'To compete with global hubs, we must invest. Our five-year plan boosts operational resilience, delivers the better service passengers expect and unlocks the growth capacity airlines want with stretching efficiency targets and a like-for-like lower airport charge than a decade ago. 'With Heathrow's UK-based supply chain, this private investment will create jobs and drive national growth during this Parliament. 'We are ready to deliver the more efficient, sustainable Heathrow that will keep Britain connected to the world.' That means faster security, smoother baggage handling, more comfortable terminals, new lounges, restaurants and shops – all while delivering a better service for the growing number of passengers who need assistance.' Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport, with more than 83.9 million passengers travelling through its terminals in 2024.
Glasgow Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Supermarkets ‘in limbo' over Government action on deforestation in supply chains
Tesco, Sainsbury's and Lidl are among those calling on ministers to enact promised due diligence laws that could help remove products produced on deforested land from UK shelves. Under the proposals, businesses will be prohibited from using or selling goods containing palm oil, cocoa, beef, leather and soy linked to illegal deforestation under the 2021 Environment Act. But ministers are yet to publish the legislation or set a date for the rules to come into force. In an open letter to the Government, retailers warned that deforestation presents an increasing risk to supply chain stability as well as food security. The supermarkets said the UK could suffer millions in export losses to the European Union if Government inaction leaves businesses unprepared to comply with the bloc's own deforestation legislation, which is due to come into force at the end of this year. They also said deforestation rules will help support food security and mitigate the impacts of climate change on their supply chains. It comes as increasingly volatile and extreme weather across the world has been driving food price inflation, such as recent spikes in cocoa and coffee prices. 'It is concerning that, almost four years after the Environment Act 2021 became law, successive UK Governments have failed to enact the necessary secondary legislation to put its deforestation provisions into effect,' the letter said. 'This delay has left UK businesses in limbo; uncertain, and unable to fully respond to these challenges.' The supermarkets, which also include Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose, Aldi, the Co-op, M&S and Ocado, called on ministers to urgently adopt secondary legislation that aligns with the EU rules as much as possible. They also urged the Government to recognise European standards as being credible evidence of due diligence and ensure supply chain transparency is required within British supply chains after the point of import. Cocoa is among the commodities that have seen spiking prices in recent months (Steve Parsons/PA) Nicola Brennan, conversion-free supply chain specialist at WWF-UK, said: 'While the Government has committed to making Britain a clean energy superpower and increasing domestic energy security, it is yet to support the market in eliminating arguably the most easily removable economic contribution of emissions. 'Ending global deforestation and conversion of natural ecosystems is essential to stopping climate change, halting biodiversity loss, and ensuring the long-term security and sustainability of the UK's food and soft commodity supply as well as providing the biggest gains in climate mitigation. 'Forests are home to 80% of the Earth's terrestrial biodiversity – there is simply no way we can fight the climate crisis and species extinction if we don't stop deforestation.' Will Schreiber, representative of the Retail Soy Group and 3Keel Director, said: 'Being able to prove that British products have not contributed to global deforestation is critical if we are going to be able to continue growing and trading with our largest trading partner. 'This is one of the few pieces of legislation that makes sense across the board if the Government moves forward and implements the secondary legislation we've been calling out for in a thoughtful way.' PA has contacted the Environment Department (Defra) for comment.
Western Telegraph
08-07-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Supermarkets ‘in limbo' over Government action on deforestation in supply chains
Tesco, Sainsbury's and Lidl are among those calling on ministers to enact promised due diligence laws that could help remove products produced on deforested land from UK shelves. Under the proposals, businesses will be prohibited from using or selling goods containing palm oil, cocoa, beef, leather and soy linked to illegal deforestation under the 2021 Environment Act. But ministers are yet to publish the legislation or set a date for the rules to come into force. In an open letter to the Government, retailers warned that deforestation presents an increasing risk to supply chain stability as well as food security. This delay has left UK businesses in limbo; uncertain, and unable to fully respond to these challenges UK supermarkets The supermarkets said the UK could suffer millions in export losses to the European Union if Government inaction leaves businesses unprepared to comply with the bloc's own deforestation legislation, which is due to come into force at the end of this year. They also said deforestation rules will help support food security and mitigate the impacts of climate change on their supply chains. It comes as increasingly volatile and extreme weather across the world has been driving food price inflation, such as recent spikes in cocoa and coffee prices. 'It is concerning that, almost four years after the Environment Act 2021 became law, successive UK Governments have failed to enact the necessary secondary legislation to put its deforestation provisions into effect,' the letter said. 'This delay has left UK businesses in limbo; uncertain, and unable to fully respond to these challenges.' The supermarkets, which also include Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose, Aldi, the Co-op, M&S and Ocado, called on ministers to urgently adopt secondary legislation that aligns with the EU rules as much as possible. They also urged the Government to recognise European standards as being credible evidence of due diligence and ensure supply chain transparency is required within British supply chains after the point of import. Cocoa is among the commodities that have seen spiking prices in recent months (Steve Parsons/PA) Nicola Brennan, conversion-free supply chain specialist at WWF-UK, said: 'While the Government has committed to making Britain a clean energy superpower and increasing domestic energy security, it is yet to support the market in eliminating arguably the most easily removable economic contribution of emissions. 'Ending global deforestation and conversion of natural ecosystems is essential to stopping climate change, halting biodiversity loss, and ensuring the long-term security and sustainability of the UK's food and soft commodity supply as well as providing the biggest gains in climate mitigation. 'Forests are home to 80% of the Earth's terrestrial biodiversity – there is simply no way we can fight the climate crisis and species extinction if we don't stop deforestation.' Will Schreiber, representative of the Retail Soy Group and 3Keel Director, said: 'Being able to prove that British products have not contributed to global deforestation is critical if we are going to be able to continue growing and trading with our largest trading partner. 'This is one of the few pieces of legislation that makes sense across the board if the Government moves forward and implements the secondary legislation we've been calling out for in a thoughtful way.' PA has contacted the Environment Department (Defra) for comment.
Glasgow Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Firefighters urge Government to tax polluters to fund struggling services
The union, which represents more than 30,000 fire responders in the UK, has joined the Polluters Pay Pact – a Greenpeace initiative that brings together climate-hit communities, concerned citizens, first responders and political leaders. The pact urges governments around the world to make high-emitting firms pay their fair share for the climate damage caused. In the UK, the Energy Profits Levy was implemented in May 2022 in response to skyrocketing profits made by oil and gas firms amid a sharp rise in energy prices. After being increased in the most recent UK Government budget, oil and gas producers are currently paying a headline tax rate of 78%. The levy will end when prices fall to or below a set price floor, or in March 2030. Royal Berkshire Firefighters rescue Joy Levinson from her house on Magna Carta Lane in Wraysbury, Berkshire (Steve Parsons/PA) However, the Fire Brigades Union warned that a decade of funding cuts has left the fire and rescue service fragmented, overstretched and chronically underfunded. According to the union's analysis of official figures, the service has lost one in five firefighting posts since 2010 – equivalent to 12,000 full-time roles – while 82 fire stations and 17 control rooms have been closed. It comes as the number of incidents fire services responds to has risen by 20% since 2014, according to a separate National Fire Chiefs Council analysis of Government data. The analysis also found response times are now the slowest on record, with the time it takes for a first appliance to reach a fire having risen by three minutes since the 1990s. Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: 'While oil and gas giants profit from pollution, firefighters are left to deal with the sharp end of the climate crisis – and all too often without the resources they need to protect lives. 'It's frontline workers and vulnerable communities paying the price. Activists called for a tax on oil profits (Danny Lawson/PA) 'Governments must get serious: make polluters pay, fund public services, and back a transition to clean, green energy. 'The UK and global leaders must be braver and bolder in holding polluters to account, starting with signing up to the principles set out in the Polluters Pay Pact.' In July 2022, during a record heatwave, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) reported its busiest day since the Second World War, but dozens of fire engines sat idle because there were not enough firefighters to crew them. And in April this year, the Global Wildfire Information System found that wildfires in the UK had burnt an area larger than the overall annual record for the last decade, while drought has been declared for the North West and Yorkshire. Greenpeace UK climate campaigner Maja Darlington said: 'As more heatwaves, wildfires and floods hit the UK and countries around the world, we need well-funded, well-staffed emergency services to protect homes, businesses and lives. 'And if ministers are looking for revenue, they must tax the massive profits Big Oil is still making from cranking up the planet's thermostat and devastating the lives of millions.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'The Energy Profits Levy already ensures the oil and gas sector contributes towards our energy transition while taking a responsible approach to tax which recognises the role the sector will have in the energy mix for decades to come.'
