| 5,000 bus workers in London launched a 24-hour strike |
| 10 Oct 2008 |
| On 10 October 2008 approximately 5,000 bus workers in London launched a 24-hour strike over pay. The UNITE trade union called the protest after discovering that salaries among London's 18 bus companies vary by approximately £6,000. The strike action is affecting approximately 160 bus routes, most of which are in north and west areas of the city. The UNITE union is calling for an additional one-day strike action on 22 October that could result in further transportation disruptions.
|
| Train signalers in Scotland launched a 24-hour strike |
| 08 Oct 2008 |
| Train signalers in Scotland launched a 24-hour strike at noon local time on 7 October 2008, resulting in hundreds of train services coming to a halt. At least 40 percent of First ScotRail services were canceled, largely in areas north of Perth. The Network Rail and the Rail, Maritime & Transport union (RMT) has announced plans for an additional 24-hour strike beginning at noon local time on 9 October unless its members' grievances, which are related to industry testing issues, are resolved. Negotiations are currently underway, but the results have yet to be announced.
|
| Holiday firm in administration |
| 12 Sep 2008 |
| Tens of thousands of Britons are stranded abroad after the country's third largest package holiday group went into administration.
The XL Leisure Group, which operates XL airlines, flies to 50 destinations, mainly in the Mediterranean. All its flights have now been cancelled and its aircraft grounded.
The XL group, which is based in Crawley, West Sussex, runs an airline and owns several travel companies, including Travel City Direct, Medlife Hotels Limited, The Really Great Holiday Company, Freedom Flights and Kosmar Holidays.
The group, which carried 2.3 million passengers last year, has 1,700 employees worldwide.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said 85,000 people could be stranded abroad and 200,000 have made advance bookings with the company.
|
| Channel tunnel remains closed |
| 12 Sep 2008 |
| Thousands of passengers hoping to travel through the Channel Tunnel face further disruption after a fire on a freight train. The tunnel is closed after the fire broke out about seven miles from Calais on Thursday afternoon. Fire fighters say the blaze has now been put out.
Thirty-two people on board were led to safety. Fourteen had suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation.
Eurostar said it "did not expect" to operate any services on Friday.
The French Interior Ministry said the UK-bound lorry, which is understood to have overturned on the shuttle train, was carrying the chemical phenol, a toxic product used by the pharmaceutical industry.
|
