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Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast
June 9th - Left high and dry aboard LNER's Aberdeen service
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I’m on the 9.52am train from Aberdeen to London King's Cross – the only one in the LNER timetable on which alcohol is banned, and then only as far south as Newcastle. “We expect a number of large groups to be travelling on this train,” says the train operator. “So to help make it a pleasant experience for everyone, we'll be operating an alcohol-free policy for part of the journey.” But drinking is banned on every ScotRail train, and at every Scottish station. In Northern Ireland, the legality of alcohol depends on what sort of train you are on. And on all public transport in London, drinking has been illegal for 15 years.
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September 29th - Rail Disruption Resumes Amid Union Strikes
05:03Join me, Simon Calder, as I navigate the rail disruptions causing upheaval across England. Dive deep into the ongoing tussle between the Aslef union and the government over pay cuts. It's more than just train delays; grasp the underlying politics, frustrations, and aspirations for a resolution.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can get every week. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox every Friday.September 28th - A visit to Le Volcan in Le Havre and another exquisite library tour
05:56Another day, another spectacular library. This one is the hulk at the heart of Le Havre, the French port just 100 miles south of Portsmouth. It is part of a cultural centre known as Le Volcan – The Volcano – designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, who also built the UN HQ in New York and largely designed the city of Brasilia. This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can get every week. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox every Friday.September 27th - Exploring Helsinki's Unique Library
06:47Join me, Simon Goer, as I wander through Helsinki's Central Library, a modern marvel blending culture and innovation. It's more than just books; imagine playing a Fender Stratocaster, diving into 3D printing, and embracing creativity. Step inside with me and see a library in a whole new light.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can get every week. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox every Friday.September 26th - Gatwick Grounds Flights: The Impact of Staff Shortage
06:49With 30% of Gatwick's air-traffic controllers falling ill, we're seeing unprecedented disruptions. In this episode, I'll walk you through the emerging cancellations, unexpected diversions, and what you as a passenger need to know.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered every Friday.Sep 25th - Scottish National Gallery project
07:21I’ve been given a preview of the Scottish Galleries at the National in Edinburgh, Scotland’s leading art museum. From Saturday 30 September, you will be able to enjoy a wealth of Scottish art in spectacular new surroundings, as I heard from Dr Tricia Allerston, co-director of the Scottish National Gallery project.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can get every week. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox every Friday.September 22nd - An ode to carpooling
06:34Compulsory car-sharing has been officially scrapped by the prime minister. The announcement took many in transport circles by surprise, since the only place in the known world where the practice has ever been mandatory is communist Cuba; there were no proposals to adopt it in the UK. But at least a practice that is environmentally and economically advantageous is now being talked about.Speaking of economically advantageous, this podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered every Friday.September 21st - Out go the green taxes on travel, though did they ever exist?
07:06Rishi Sunak told the public on Wednesday. “The proposal to create new taxes to discourage flying – I’ve scrapped that.” I was unaware of any government proposal to create new aviation taxes. But just in case anyone was in doubt about the government’s attitude to aviation: deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden has used the RAF Airbus A330 to fly to New York JFK. At a time when many other commercial flights were available. It takes me back to Liz Truss, when foreign secretary, taking a private plane to Australia rather than slumming it on Qantas.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered every Friday.September 20th - Strikes & Shifts: The Balance of Transport Rights
08:26In today's chat, I tackle the Tube and National Rail strikes. Whilst the right to strike is clear, what about the traveller's right to reliable transport? I'll discuss whether unions are treading on thin ice.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which you can get every week. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox every Friday.September 19th - Ryanair still won't compromise
07:35Ryanair are back in the news with the airline’s no-compromise attitude to online check-in. This concerns Damian Lloyd and his family, who were told their pre-printed boarding passes were not valid and that they would have to pay £165 if they wanted to fly to Gran Canaria. Ryanair says they had “unchecked” themselves the day before travel; Mr Lloyd says he has no such recollection. My thoughts ahead of a Ryanair flight …This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter, which I can hand-on-heart say is purely human-made. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox every Friday.