Passengers in Tier 4 regions who have been forced to scrap their Christmas travel plans will get their train and coach bookings refunded, the Government announced today.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said customers will not be ‘left out of pocket’ for ‘doing the right thing’ by binning their family reunions as a ‘mutant’ strain of coronavirus spreads through the country.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said cash refunds will be provided for cancelled rail and coach bookings in England for the previous Christmas travel window of December 23 to 27.
Tickets will only be refunded if they were purchased between November 24 and before the travel window was amended on December 19 – meaning people who now pay for tickets and are stopped by police from leaving Tier 4 regions will not be compensated.
People who planned on flying back home are also not included in the Government’s refund scheme, after major airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic revealed they will not refund cancelled trips for the end of the year.
The DfT compensation plan also does not apply to people living in areas outside of Tier 4 in England, and for people living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It comes as millions of Christmas plans have been left in tatters after Boris Johnson effectively cancelled the winter holiday for nearly 18 million people in London and much of southern England.
Passengers are advised to check their train operator’s website for how to claim.
In a statement, Mr Shapps said: ‘It is imperative that we all follow the new measures and play our part in tackling this virus, protecting others and safeguarding our NHS.
‘If you booked a coach or rail journey between 23 and 27 December, you are entitled to a cash refund. This ensures no-one is left out of pocket for doing the right thing – staying home in Tier 4, and elsewhere staying local and only meeting your Christmas bubble on Christmas Day.’
Matt Hancock had said yesterday that the Government is looking into compensating people who have had to scrap their travel plans.
He also warned that police would stop people from leaving London as extra officers have been deployed at train stations across the capital as Londoners try to flee the city to spend December 25 with loved ones.
Mr Shapps also said extra British Transport Police officers would be deployed at London’s railway stations to prevent ‘non-essential’ journeys.
Masked police patrolled King’s Cross, St Pancras, Waterloo and Euston stations after scenes emerged at the weekend of big queues of Londoners taking trains north and west to escape the brutal new Tier 4.
In other coronavirus news:
- Germany, France, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Austria suspended travel from Britain, trying to protect themselves from the new strain;
- France also banned British freight lorries, adding to the chaos at Channel ports;
- Mr Hancock refused to rule out the closure of schools, which are already facing delays to next term;
- Tory sources confirmed Tier Four travel curbs mean the Prime Minister will spend Christmas in Downing Street, rather than his country retreat Chequers;
- In a rare bright spot, the number vaccinated hit around 500,000 last night;
- Officials voiced hopes that the Oxford jab could be approved this week;
- Mr Hancock condemned ‘totally irresponsible’ travellers who piled on to trains out of London on Saturday night before Tier Four came in;
- British Transport Police stepped up patrols to stop residents leaving London and South East;
- Scottish police doubled patrols along the border after Nicola Sturgeon imposed a ban on arrivals from England;
- Business leaders called for more support, amid warnings that tens of thousands of jobs could go;
- Lockdown-busting scientist Neil Ferguson has been quietly reinstated as a Government adviser and was involved in the Christmas shutdown decision;
- A YouGov poll found 67 per cent back the Christmas curbs but 61 per cent think the Government has handled the situation badly;
- Labour’s Keir Starmer called on Mr Johnson to apologise for ‘indecision and weak leadership’ over Christmas rules;
- Wales went into lockdown for the third time, meaning 21million UK residents are now under the toughest restrictions.
People at Euston station, London, yesterday as London was moved into Tier 4
People wait on the concourse at Paddington Station in London on Saturday as people scramble to get out of London before Tier 4 rules come into power at midnight
People sitting masked in Euston Station today while waiting for trains to take them out of Tier 4 London in time for Christmas
Police outside Kings Cross Underground Station as the capital is plunged into Tier 4
A member of BTP patrols the main concourse at Waterloo Station in London yesterday
People go through barriers to catch trains at Paddington Station in London. The introduction of the new tier seeks to curb a new more infectious strain of the virus, Boris Johnson explained during a press briefing on Saturday
People in Euston Station are seen sitting down waiting for their trains to other parts of England as Tier 4 comes into force
It comes as millions of Christmas plans have been left in tatters after Boris Johnson effectively cancelled the winter holiday for nearly 18 million people in London and much of southern England by placing those regions into Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions
The Health Secretary hit out at the ‘totally irresponsible’ Londoners, while the Met Police warned the ‘most dangerous and flagrant breaches’ of Tier 4 regulations now in force will see fines given out.
In a round of TV interviews yesterday, Mr Hancock told people living in London and parts of the South and East of England living in the toughest tier regime to ‘unpack their bags’ and ‘reduce social contact’.
Under the new Tier 4 rules non-essential shops – as well as gyms, cinemas, casinos and hairdressers – have to stay shut and people are limited to meeting one other person from another household in an outdoor public space.
Those in Tier 4 were told they should not travel out of the region, while those outside were advised against visiting. In the rest of England, Christmas easing has been severely curtailed, with households allowed to gather for just one day – Christmas Day itself – rather than the five days previously planned.
Wales has also announced it is going into a full lockdown and will follow suit by slashing bubbles to a single day. Nicola Sturgeon said at her own press conference that a ban on cross-border travel is being upgraded, and the law will be changed to cut bubbles to one day.
Within 90 minutes of the PM’s bombshell announcement, Londoners were jumping into cars and taxis and even hiring vehicles to escape the city before Tier 4 came into force, the AA told the Mail on Sunday.
Its president Edmund King called the fleeing a ‘mini exodus’, adding: ‘It is almost like a wall is coming down around London and the South East and some people are scrambling to get away to save their Christmas before midnight.’
Northerners warned against Londoners fleeing the capital after videos and photos appeared on social media which showed long queues in St Pancras Station.
Branding it the ‘last train out of Saigon’ – a reference to the evacuation of US personnel during the Vietnam War – journalist Harriet Clugston wrote: ‘Every person on this train including myself has made what is probably a very silly and irresponsible decision to travel albeit within the law.
‘But that’s what people were always going to do to be together at Christmas.’
An announcement warned passengers that it would not be possible to maintain social distancing on the train.
Poppy Wood, 25, rushed to King’s Cross station to board a 7.30pm train before the restrictions were imposed. She said: ‘What a disaster. I’m so angry at the Government – the whole thing has been shockingly handled.’
Miss Wood, who was travelling to her parents’ home in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, with her brother and her boyfriend, said the station was ‘surprisingly socially distanced but very sombre’. ‘Everyone is just looking up at the screens quite longingly,’ she added.
‘It’s not panicked at all – it’s very calm. I think the threat has become very real and people are actually quite nervous, which hasn’t been the case for a while in London.
‘I was meant to be doing all my Christmas shopping today but with everything going on I hadn’t got anything done. I have just ransacked every shop in the station to get both my boyfriend and my brother a Christmas present.’
Social media sites were flooded with people voicing their anger at having their Christmas travel arrangements torpedoed.
‘I’m beyond furious,’ said Londoner Michael Wood, 25, who has had to cancel Christmas with his parents in Norfolk. ‘The Government should have provided more forward guidance, rather than cancelling Christmas with four days to go.
‘It’s easy to say we’ll get through it but not when you’re on your own in a shoebox apartment.’
Rose Wilford, who also lives on her own in London, has been isolating for the last seven days and was planning on travelling back to her parents in Worcestershire for Christmas.
‘Now that the tier 4 has come into place I’m not able to travel and will have to spend Christmas on my own,’ she said.
‘This year has been particularly hard on my mental health and to find out that I have to spend Christmas on my own is devastating.’
Meanwhile British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have revealed they will not be offering refunds to passengers who cancel trips for the end of the year following the new restrictions.
The Virgin Atlantic Twitter account posted: ‘Refunds are only permitted for cancelled flights. If you have booked with us directly, you have the option to rebook for a new travel date up until 31 December 2022.
‘If you have booked with a third party, please contact them directly for your options.’
British Airways customer Lisa Hunter tweeted at the airline saying: ‘Just been moved into Tier 4 yet just been told on phone we cannot have a refund for flights booked for over xmas as ”the flight isn’t cancelled”.
‘It’s now illegal to travel out of Tier 4 areas so surely this cannot be the case? Heathrow is in Tier 4!’
People in Euston Station are seen sitting down waiting for their trains to other parts of England as Tier 4 comes into force
People wearing face masks stand waiting for their trains at London’s King’s Cross Station as the capital moves into Tier 4
Furious Northerners blasted ‘selfish’ Londoners who fled the capital last night to avoid spending Christmas in a brutal new Tier 4 lockdown, amid fears they will spread the ‘mutant’ strain of coronavirus across the country. Twitter users from the North and West today slammed large crowds queueing on a packed platform at London’s St Pancras Station to board the last train to Leeds, calling them ‘irresponsible’, ‘b******s’ and ‘plague rats’
Covid cases hit a daily record of 35,928 yesterday – almost double the previous week. There were also 326 deaths, up from 144 a week earlier
BA replied: ‘Hi Lisa, flights are continuing to operate, as essential travel is still permitted. We’re afraid a full refund is only permitted if your flight is cancelled.’
A BA spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Customers who are unable to travel, or choose not to, can continue to change their flights or request a voucher for future use as part of our Book with Confidence policy, which has been available since the beginning of the pandemic.
As always, if a customer’s flight is cancelled they are entitled to a full refund or a voucher, and we always contact any customers whose flights may be affected to discuss their options.’
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told MailOnline: ”We understand the difficulties that Covid-19 and Tier 4 restrictions pose to some of our customers.
‘Where a customer is unable to travel for any reason, we offer as much choice and flexibility as possible to help them change or amend their plans, with a name change and two date change fees waived for a new travel date up until 31 December 2022.
‘Where a flight is cancelled, customers are of course entitled to a full cash refund.’
Rival airline EasyJet said that it would be offering refunds for those who were staying home.
A spokesperson said: ‘EasyJet plans to fly its current schedule over the coming days, however, following the UK Government’s announcement implementing Tier 4 restrictions which includes advice against travelling abroad, we understand some customers may now need to change their flights.
‘Impacted customers in Tier 4 areas have the option of transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher or receiving a refund. This policy applies to any flights up until 30 December.
‘All other customers can make changes to their booking without incurring a change fee up to 14 days before departure online via Manage Bookings at easyJet.com.’
Which? consumer rights expert Adam French said: ‘These new restrictions will cause massive travel disruption and chaos, leaving many peoples’ festive plans in tatters.
‘If you’ve forked out on money for a train ticket and have to stay put you should be able to cancel the trip and get your money back.
‘Rail operators should be as accommodating as possible by allowing passengers the flexibility to use tickets or issuing them refunds if they can’t travel at another time.’
It comes as the scientist whose grim modelling spooked No10 into sending Britain into its first lockdown back in March warned that millions of families face living under draconian Tier Four restrictions until Easter.
‘Professor Lockdown’ Neil Ferguson, an Imperial College London epidemiologist who quit his role as a Government adviser after breaking rules to see his married lover, today claimed the harshest curbs could ‘possibly’ have to stay until the spring and admitted Britain was now in a race to vaccinate people.
He warned Britain’s situation was ‘not looking optimistic right now’. It comes after Matt Hancock yesterday warned the Tier 4 restrictions could be extended nationwide, after the Health Secretary said the virus was now ‘out of control’ following the emergence of a fast-spreading new variant.
It comes after it was revealed yesterday that Professor Ferguson played a major role in researching the variant that triggered the dramatic cancellation of Christmas.
He was among those attending a meeting of Nervtag – the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group – to discuss the new mutant strain on Friday.
The Imperial expert said it was now a simple race to ‘get vaccines in people’s arms’ because the virus couldn’t be stopped any other way.
And a colleague of his, infectious diseases expert Professor Wendy Barclay, said it was possible that if the virus mutates enough the immunity produced by vaccines might not work, although there is no proof that this is true of the new strain.
Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine is being rolled out rapidly but it is complicated because it must be kept in specialist freezers.
Regulators now face pressure to approve England’s own vaccine made by Oxford University and AstraZeneca – a decision is expected within the next week.
Another completed vaccine by US company Moderna, which trials showed was 94.5 per cent effective, has been pre-ordered by the UK but won’t be available until the spring.
Dozens of countries have all already banned travel from Britain over fears the mutated strain of coronavirus could spread, with France last night causing chaos over the last minute decision to shut the border.
Mr Johnson will hold crisis talks with Ministers today as he chairs the Government’s Cobra committee amid warnings of ‘significant disruption’ around the Channel ports in Kent.