Agents have reacted angrily to a tweet by the transport secretary about £4 billion in emergency funding to Transport for London (TfL), demanding why the travel industry still has not had sector-specific support.
Grant Shapps tweeted on Saturday (December 11): “We’ve provided £4bn+ in emergency funding for @TfL. Mayor sent income generation proposals (3 wks after deadline) & we’ve asked for clarification. Meantime we’re providing 1 week extension of current funding. We’re committed to supporting London & being fair to national taxpayer.”
We’ve provided £4bn+ in emergency funding for @TfL. Mayor sent income generation proposals (3 wks after deadline) & we’ve asked for clarification. Meantime we’re providing 1 week extension of current funding. We’re committed to supporting London & being fair to national taxpayer.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) December 11, 2021
Agent campaign group Target – Travel Agent Reform Group Engaged Together – replied, saying: “But you have failed to support the travel industry that you have decimated.”
Zoe Franklin, sales manager at Travel Club Elite, commented: “U won’t read this but I’m not giving up. Tvl industry’s been decimated over 2 yrs = no sector specific support. Refunded everything but cudn’t close. Other industries who closed = suppport, but they hadn’t had to refund everything earned. What do u have against the travel trade?”
Richard Slater, owner of Henbury Travel Agents and Abta’s northwest regional chair, asked about “the 1,000s of small travel agencies & their staff who haven’t been offered/given a single penny of sector specific financial support over the past 21 months, since travel has been stopped/restricted?”
Helen Smith, manager at Althams Travel, Bolton, added: “But you have failed to support the Travel Industry, we need specific help as you’ve put more travel restrictions in place.”
Lynne Jordan from Travel Counsellors asked: “What about committing to help the travel industry who are imploding on your watch!!!!”