• Currency:

Posts Tagged ‘Royal Wedding’

Rail firms run extra Royal Wedding services

Friday, April 29th, 2011

The big day is finally here and London is bracing itself for a massive influx of visitors keen to see Kate Middleton and Prince William exchange their vows. Some 400,000 are expected to make their way into the capital by train. The Association of Train Operating Companies has said that operators are prepared, many of which have laid on extra services for the day.

ATOC added that most firms will carry around 15 per cent more passengers than they would expect to on an average bank holiday. A spokesman for the organisation said that around half will be running as if it were a normal weekday. Network Rail said it aimed to keep any disruption to a minimum by suspending maintenance work on lines into the capital.

London Underground has also confirmed there will be no maintenance work and so all lines will be open today. All Tube stations will also be kept open unless there is any danger posed by over crowding. General Secretary for the RMT union, Bob Crow, issued a warning that the capital’s underground network was already under pressure and that visitors may be running a travel lottery.

Peter Hendy, transport commissioner for London, said teams were already being deployed to make sure that everything runs smoothly for those making their way around the city.

According to travel body VisitBritain, London will have an extra 600,000 visitors today. The Metropolitan Police will have 5,000 officers deployed or on standby to ensure the safety and security of those enjoying the festivities of the Royal Wedding.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

London travel advice for Royal Wedding celebrations

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

Transport for London has been working closely with Westminster Council, the government and the Metropolitan Police to ensure that the large crowds expected in the capital on Friday for the Royal Wedding will be able to move around safely and efficiently. However, there will be the inevitable road closures and bus diversions, and visitors are being asked to plan their journeys so as to avoid any disruption.

London’s commissioner for transport, Peter Hendy, has assured visitors that teams will be deployed on the day to make sure that diversions and the closure of roads will be managed smoothly. He also said that there was no planned maintenance work on the London Underground so all lines would be operating.

Motorists are being advised to avoid travelling into the centre of the city on Friday as the route between Buckingham Palace and Westminster will be closed. This includes Whitehall, Parliament Square, Horse Guard’s and the Mall. Surrounding roads will also be closed or have parking restrictions.

Tube stations close to the procession route will remain open although London Underground has issued a warning that temporary closures could occur if they become overwhelmed. Victoria Station will also be operating a queuing system because of ongoing work.

Visitors intending to come into central London by bus are being warned that services to areas including Piccadilly, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square and Westminster will be subject to diversions or stopped short of their usual destinations because of road closures. The DLR and Tramlink will run as usual.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Parents feel the squeeze of extra holidays

Monday, April 11th, 2011

The extended holidays this Easter, including the extra bank holiday for the Royal Wedding, are causing a financial headache for many parents who have to find extra money for child care and to keep their children entertained when they are not in the classroom. Liverpool Victoria, a leading insurance firm, has estimated that the extra childcare alone is going to cost an extra £206 million.

Child related costs over the bank holidays and Easter will total around £3.5 billion, according to the insurer. Researchers found that just under a quarter of all parents wanted to cut back and that well over a third considered this year’s holidays unaffordable. Liverpool Victoria’s Mark Jones said 13 weeks of holidays every year meant that there was a great deal of financial pressure on parents to keep their offspring entertained.

Liverpool Victoria estimates that £18.8 billion will be spent on children over the school holidays this year. This works out at $1,429 per child. Approximately £12 billion will be spent on entertainment and £6.9 billion will go towards childcare.

As parents continue to feel the squeeze on their finances 55 per cent told researchers that they would not be able to take their family abroad for a holiday this year. For some, even a holiday at home is not financially viable with 29 per cent saying they would not even be able to justify the expense of a break in the UK.

Another report by Liverpool Victoria estimates that the cost of bringing up a child to the age of 21 is around £210,000.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Eurostar bookings soar for Royal Wedding weekend

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Europe, it seems, is not immune to the Royal Wedding fever which is gripping the UK. High speed train provider Eurostar says bookings for travel to London for the big day have soared. Compared to the same weekend a year ago, the number of people purchasing a ticket to travel through the tunnel for 29 April is up by 28 per cent.

Eurostar’s sales and marketing chief in France, Lionel Benbassat, said: “Not since Charles and Diana married in 1981 have we seen such huge interest across the continent in the British royal family. People are truly fascinated by this wedding and they want to experience the excitement of the big day and the party atmosphere first hand.

“This fascination isn’t just limited to countries that have a monarchy themselves. We’ve seen a surge in bookings from republican Germany and France as well as from Belgium and the Netherlands, which have their own monarchies. After three years of financial austerity, it looks like Europe is gearing up for party.”

People from across the continent are expected to flock to London in their thousands to be part of the celebrations which will see Kate Middleton accept a wedding ring from her university sweetheart, Prince William.

Eurostar offers convenient travel to a number of major cities across Europe. The journey time from London to Amsterdam is a little over four hours and those travelling from the capital to the southern French city of Marseille can be there in around six hours. Those wishing to get to Germany can arrive in Cologne around four hours after departing London.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Avis offers Easter travel solutions

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

With a Royal Wedding adding an extra bank holiday to the calendar at Easter, Avis is offering car hire customers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty spots and historic sites of the UK. For those who do not own a vehicle, or who are tempted to try a different driving experience, car rental can be a convenient and economically sensible option.

By signing up for the Avis Preferred deal customers are guaranteed that the car keys will be handed over within three minutes of making their presence known at the rental station or a twenty pound note will.

The company’s head of marketing in the UK, Nick Mountfield, said: “Easter is always a very popular time of year to go away, but with the Royal Wedding happening this year, more people are choosing to holiday here instead. The extra bank holidays mean that by booking three days off work, Britons can actually have a whole week’s break and we’re already seeing more demand as people rush to firm up their travel plans. The UK has thousands of fantastic holiday destinations that are ideal for days out, weekends away and longer holidays, so we’re encouraging holidaymakers to make the most of their time off and explore the UK.”

Avis is extremely competitive with its rates, and customers can drive away with a vehicle for as little as £16 per day.

Mountfield added: “We’re definitely seeing a demand for booking early this Easter, so I’d urge customers to think ahead and book now in order to guarantee their vehicle of choice this April.”

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

top

Top Travel Destinations

Find on hirecars.co.uk

    Social

     

    © 2009 www.hirecars.co.uk

    hirecars.co.uk is part of Purple Limo Limited, Ground Floor Suite, Charter House, Sandford Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QA, United Kingdom. Registered in England and Wales 05822114.