Extend furlough for transport industry, petition calls

A new petition has been launched urging the government to extend the coronavirus furlough scheme beyond October for the transport industry. 

The petition notes that the transport industry is being disproportionately affected by travel restrictions and quarantines being imposed by the government.

The petition says: “Many people have spent their lives working in the industry and once all this is over, those skilled employees will be once again required to plan and take the nation on holiday. Whilst restrictions remain in place, imposed by the government we cannot trade fully or make a recovery.”

The petition has just under 35,000 signatures at the time of writing. At 10,000 signatures, the government is obliged to respond, which at the time of writing is currently being awaited.

At 100,000, the government is expected to debate it.

Another petition is currently running, requesting aid from the government for the coach industry. This has received a response from the government, but it was deemed not good enough by the Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system). The Committee believed it did not address the requests of the petition. A new response is due.