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2010-08-01 |
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U.S. rates to stay low for "extended period" .... |
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The Royal Navy is being deployed to help rescue those Britons stranded abroad by flight restrictions. |
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The Government says three ships could be used to help ferry travellers back home.
HMS Ocean will head to the Channel today and HMS Ark Royal will move "later" - with HMS Albion en route to Spain to pick up British soldiers.
Madrid may also be used as a hub for stranded tourists.
Mr Brown unveiled the measures after a meeting of the Government's emergency response Cobra committee called to deal with the fallout from Iceland's volcano.
"I talked to Prime Minister Zapatero and he has offered in principle use of Spanish airports as a hub to bring people back to Britain.
"And we are now looking if we can make the arrangements necessary, the transport arrangements that we will support as a government, coach, ferry and train to get people either from Madrid or another Spanish airport back to Britain," the Prime Minister said.
The current flight restrictions will remain in place until 7am on Tuesday, when flights will resume in Scotland and part of northern England.
It is hoped that airspace over the rest of England and Wales will be opened later tomorrow, air traffic control company Nats said.Click here for the latest travel information.Denmark said it was opening its airspace above 35,500ft while the Czech Republic said its airspace would be open for 48 hours.
The ash cloud is expected to hit the east coast of the US at 6pm.
Travel association Abta estimates around 150,000 Britons are stuck abroad.
Many of those on holiday over Easter were teachers and pressure is growing on the Government to get them back to the UK. |
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