Daily Briefing (Downing Street) - 24.4.20 / Grant Shapps on Transport issues

Transport secretary Grant Shapps lead the daily briefing today, taking questions on transport and on wider issues. Here are his transport issues as repported ((here)) by the BBC^»

17:07
Shapps: 'Tentative signs of progress'
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says there are “tentative signs we are making progress” because of the way the public has adhered to social distancing measures.

He says he is announcing a new package of measures for transport - including for essential freight services.

"Many bring in crucial goods," he says, like medicines.

17:12
Shapps launches transport support unit
The transport secretary says the government has also launched a transport support unit dedicated to fighting the pandemic.

Shapps there is "spare capacity" because of a reduced transport service and so there are volunteers and 9,000 vehicles available to help in the fight against the virus.

They will be able to distribute packages to vulnerable people for example.

There will also be a review looking at how drones might be used to deliver medical supplies.

17:15
Shapps: No UK^▸ (United Kingdom) tourists left stranded on cruises
The transport secretary also confirmed there are now no British holidaymakers who are stranded on cruises anywhere in the world.

Finishing his opening remarks, Mr Shapps said the end of lockdown restrictions "will arrive sooner" if motorists only continue to travel for essential journeys.§A

17:32
Drones trial for Isle of Wight hospital announced
Downing Street press conference 24 April 2020
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
We just heard the transport secretary say there is going to be a review looking at how drones will be used during the pandemic. Here's a bit more detail on that.

The Department for Transport says it will fast track the launch of a new trial using drones between the mainland and St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight.

It follows £28m awarded by the government earlier this year to Southampton and Portsmouth councils to carry out drone trials of this kind as part of a wider future transport zone trial.

17:34
Shapps: Airport passenger numbers 'down massively'
The transport secretary is is asked about ferries that are struggling and whether they will get government funding.

Shapps says the agreement with French and Republic of Ireland governments includes 26 different freight routes and support is available for ferries.

He is also asked about airport checks and whether there should be passenger screening.

He says passenger numbers are down “massively”, adding that countries that have "locked down" flights "have not necessarily weathered the storm of coronavirus".

17:50
Light rail operators will receive multi-million package - Shapps
Asked by Birmingham Live the amount of support light rail systems such as the Manchester Metro Link will receive during the pandemic, the transport secretary does not have an actual figure at this stage but that it is a "multi-million pound package".

He says the government is discussing support with operators as well as the extent to which the systems should be operating during the lockdown restrictions.

"These systems are running well below capacity," he adds. "It is a case of finding a route with them that ensures they remain a viable entity."

17:57
Don't let sunny weekend ruin progress - Shapps
The transport secretary ends today's Downing Street briefing by saying that the public should not let another sunny weekend cause the progress in tackling the coronavirus to slip.

"The message as ever is the same: stay at home; protect the NHS; and save lives," he says.

As a transport forum, I have reported just travel and transport elements of the briefing. There are many very important general issues in the full report at the link given at the top