22/06/2004

Travel advice tightened up to reflect serious terror threats

The Foreign Office today changed the way Travel Advice is managed for intelligence-based terrorist threats.

Many people continue to travel despite warnings against all but essential travel in the case of terrorist threats.

In a written statement to Parliament, the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said he believed the public would be better served if warnings against all but essential travel were used more sparingly.

Announcing the outcome of the Foreign Office Travel Advice Review, Mr Straw said: "In future, in the case of intelligence-based terrorist threats, we shall advise against travel only in situations of extreme and imminent danger - if the terrorist threat is sufficiently specific, large-scale or endemic to affect British nationals severely.

"We shall continue to advise against travel in cases of non-terrorist threats (coups, civil unrest, natural disasters) on the same basis as before."

(gmcg)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

17 June 2010
CAA Appeals Over ATOL 'Breaches'
The need for all flights and accommodation deals to be included in the official Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) arrangements have zoomed back into focus this week.
20 December 2012
Free Travel Passes Announced For London Midland Passengers
Rail passengers who suffered cancelled services and delays last year will receive free travel passes and cheap tickets thanks to tough action taken by the government, Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today. London Midland season ticket holders will be given 5 days worth of free travel passes under a £7 million package of benefits.
28 June 2011
OFT To Take Action Over Passenger Surcharges
The OFT has put passenger travel companies on notice to change misleading debit and credit card surcharging practices or face enforcement action under consumer protection laws.
25 October 2010
Safer Transport At Night Campaign Launched
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Cab Enforcement Unit, part of the Transport for London (TfL) funded Safer Transport Command (STC), have made more than 100 arrests in a bid to tackle illegal cab drivers in London. As part of the Operation Safer Travel at Night (STaN), officers increased night-time patrols over three weekends.
11 September 2003
Edinburgh voted UK's favourite city
Edinburgh has been voted the UK's favourite city at this year's Guardian/Observer Travel Awards 2003. The Scottish capital came out on top for the fifth successive year and was joined in second place by its neighbour Glasgow which moved up five places from last year. Joining those two in the top five were Newcastle, Belfast and Winchester.