As Londoners remain extra vigilant in the wake of the July 7 terrorist bomb blasts, one leading coach operator has entered talks with some of the City’s largest companies
to formulate emergency contingency plans
to get workers out of the Capital in the
event of another major incident.
The Kings Ferry, based in Kent and responsible for carrying thousands of commuters in and out of London daily, has been set the task of providing companies with a dedicated fleet of coaches capable
of moving staff from Central London to emergency centres, mainline stations or spine routes in the Home Counties at short notice. |
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Under the proposals, The Kings Ferry would have a guaranteed number of vehicles and drivers on stand-by at its Gillingham headquarters from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, which could be despatched to any Central London location within 15 minutes of the request being made.
The initiative was sparked after bosses at one of the City of London’s leading financial services companies approached The Kings Ferry to develop an emergency response plan, which would enable them to move their staff "safely and quickly" should another attack, security alert or rail strike cripple the City’s public transport system.
The Kings Ferry’s managing director, Steve O’Neill, said: "Transportation is a key consideration in any contingency plan, whether it’s moving staff to alternative offices, getting them out of a critical, unsafe area, or even just getting them to work and back in the event of a rail strike.
"The July 7 attacks paralysed the Underground system, resulting in many people being unable to get in and out of the City. The Kings Ferry was inundated with calls that day from firms trying to hire large numbers of coaches to get thousands of their people home. We did all we could to help but we simply didn’t have enough spare capacity to meet this sudden high demand – and we’re one of the UK’s largest coach operators, which just proves how important it is for companies to have a contingency plan.
"The Kings Ferry is offering City of London firms a solution that will guarantee adequate transport resources in the future, thus minimising any disruption and safeguarding the welfare of their staff. What’s more, we can tailor the solution to suit each company’s needs and budget."
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London