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thebusinesstravelconference.com THE LOWDOWN
GTMC UPDATE IN BRIEF Stansted Airport Connection demands
Stansted Airport has called on the government to reduce journey times between central London and the airport to 40 minutes by 2019 and to explore opportunities to introduce 24-hour services on the route. The airport has drawn up key commitments it believes should be part of the new East Anglia rail franchise that comes into operation next year. It also asks for more services to Cambridge and beyond; and the introduction of an additional Stratford service to meet growing demand in East London.
Hertz Going green
Hertz has introduced the latest 100 per cent electric Nissan LEAF model to its fleet at its main London locations – Heathrow Airport, Marble Arch, Old Kent Road, Russell Square and London City Airport – all of which are equipped with charging points. Customers can also charge the vehicle at more than 1,600 electric vehicle (EV) charge points across the capital city.
TMC news Contract wins
Hillgate Travel has secured a multi-million pound contract with the European Bank for Recon- struction and Development (EBRD). The account will be serviced by a dedicated EBRD travel team and the contract has a five-year term. Redfern, meanwhile, has been appointed by the Skipton Building Society. It is the UK's fourth largest such institution and has 95 branches. Redfern will be responsible for all employees' travel, the majority of which is domestic. Finally, energy and offshore specialist ATPI has won the business of Aberdeen- based Sparrows Group, a leading supplier of engineered products to the oil and gas industry.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING on travel has risen 11 per cent in real terms since 2010-11, despite over- all headcount reductions.
What's more, central government has little oversight of offi cial travel, instead leaving that role to individual departments – that’s the fi ndings of a National Audit Offi ce investigation. The report identifi ed spending of £546million through
travel contracts in 2013-14 but the analysis does not routinely capture travel spend claimed by offi cials as expenses. The NAO says that departments are not managing demand for government travel 'suffi ciently actively' and that there is considerable variation between departmental policies and controls. There is no standardisation among departments about when offi cials can travel non-standard class by rail or air, for example, and rate caps vary in the same location, ranging from £110 to £150 a night in London.
STA Travel launches corporate travel services
Student travel specialist STA Travel has outlined plans to start targeting young business travellers. The world’s largest youth and student travel company has launched a new brand, STA Travel Business, which will offer a full TMC service including account management, online booking, management information, exclusive air tickets and fi nance options.
41 per cent of
business travellers now book more than 14
days in advance, says CWT's Q1 report
Paul Wait Chief Executive, Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC)
and transport headlines for the early part of 2015, key issues including HS2, APD and the Airports Commission will undoubtedly return to the fore. The consensus across the travel industry is that now is the time for action. Indeed, a recent report into UK tourism by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee called for the government to respond quickly to the Davies Commission once it has reached its conclusions later this year – a statement strongly reinforced by the business travel community. My support of increased airport capacity in the UK and particu- larly London and the South East is no secret. Regardless of the outcome, thoughts are rapidly turning to ‘the next steps’. Once the Airports Commission reaches a conclusion it is imperative that government drives the process forward, so that expansion takes place sooner rather than later. Contractors' tenders, suggest-
W
ed start dates and consideration for wider transport networks and infrastructure linking to the expanded airport all need to be planned. This will go a long way to reducing the waiting time for the much needed air capacity increase. It is vital we learn from this
process – from the length of time this decision has taken and its impact on driving UK commerce. It's time to take lasting action. To avoid a repeat of this long
wait we must seriously consider a second Airports Commission in the very near future.
ith the general election dominating the business, travel
THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 55
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