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The Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Sun
Do you know what this new French road sign means? Holidaymakers face £118 fine if they break key rule
A NEW road side in France this summer is threatening to impose a huge fine for holidaymakers if they break its key rule. Travellers to the country's capital may come across the sign when driving in Paris, and it should not be ignored. 2 A fine of £118 awaits motorists breaking the rules of the sign, which features a white diamond on a blue background. The sign can be seen on the eight lane Boulevard Périphérique around Paris, which is used by around one million vehicles each day. The symbol on it signifies that the left-hand lane can only be used for vehicles with passengers. Motorists caught driving alone in these lanes on the road's cameras will be issued automatic fines. It is being used in a bid to restrict car use in the capital, following changes in recent years to the Boulevard by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Another measure was introduced last year, which reduced the speed limit to 30mph on the 22-mile motorway. Four filling stations along the stretch of road were also banned from selling diesel fuel. However, the latest road rule incurs a costly bill if not followed, requiring a payment €135, equating to around £117.50. A new control system was installed on May 2, and put live to ensure compliance with the rules. The system involves hi-tech computer-assisted video enforcement (VAO) which monitors vehicles in the far left lanes at all times. Olympics is 'stupid' for pushing athletes into poop-filled River Seine - world champs will fall ill, workers fume It can capture the number of people in each car through artificial intelligence cameras. The recordings of vehicles considered to be breach the rules are then sent to a human agent for verification, who can then issue motorists abusing the rules with a fine. Signs and enforcement for the new carpool only lanes on the ring road also started at the beginning of May. They aim to encourage commuters to travel into the city in groups of at least two, hoping to reduce congestion and emissions from vehicles. The car sharing lanes are on the far left of the four-lane carriageway in both directions of what is one of the busiest ring roads in Europe. These exclusive lanes were initially introduced for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games last summer, designated for athletes and staff to use as priority vehicles accessing the city. Hidalgo, who has launched various anti-car measures for the city, confirmed they would remain after the conclusion of the games, and instead be used for car sharing in peak congestion hours. These hours 7am to 10:30am and 4pm to 8pm on weekdays. On weekends and public holidays, all lanes are open to any vehicle. Public transport operators, emergency service vehicles, taxis, and cars for people with reduced mobility are also permitted to use the carpool lanes at any time. President of Automobile Association, Edmund King, told the Daily Mail: "Britons driving to Paris this summer might be forgiven for not understanding a new addition to French road signs – the diamond with a blue background. "Some might think it is a sign to the 'diamond district' in Paris, which is around Place Vendôme and Rue de la Paix, but it is not - it is a sign denoting a car sharing lane."
Times
an hour ago
- Times
The best airlines in the world — according to you
Each year the Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards celebrate the very best of the business. But while editors decide on the shortlist, it's you, the readers, who choose the winners — based on the holiday companies and destinations that have impressed you over the past 12 months. Last year, more than 470,000 votes were cast for more than 100 companies and destinations. This year, for the first time, we have two different airline categories — breaking it down into best short-haul and best long-haul carriers to better reflect our travel habits. I've been writing about airlines and aviation for a decade, and have flown all over the world on scores of them, from Asia to America, so I know a thing or two about the best (and the worst). Now is the time to have your own say on the world's best airlines — and by voting you could win prizes ranging from a £1,600 mini-break in a pretty corner of Wales to a £45,000 itinerary around India's finest hotels. But before you click through to cast your vote, let's look at how you voted last year. Last year we had just one airline category, covering both short-haul and long-haul, which Emirates won. The Dubai-based carrier is one of the world's mega-connectors — each year it carries tens of millions of passengers, most of them transiting via its Gulf hub. British Airways came second and Singapore Airlines third. Emirates has always been a reader favourite. It may only have clinched the top spot in 2024, but in 2023 and 2022 it was in a solid second place after British Airways. Singapore Airlines, which flies to Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, has been in third place for the past three years. It's perhaps no surprise that British Airways lost out in 2024. In the latest Which? Travel report of short-haul airlines, it scored a middling 57 per cent for customer satisfaction score. • Have your say here — and be in with a chance of winning a great prize Singapore Airlines is regarded as one of the best airlines in the world, thanks to excellent customer service and a modern fleet, although it's likely readers don't fly it as often as our flag carrier. All three airlines, as well as Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, Tui Airways and Qantas, are shortlisted in the long-haul airline category. But this year, there is now also a best short-haul airline category, which means that budget carriers including easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air are in with a chance of an award. Emirates is a highly regarded carrier, loved for its convenient home base of Dubai and for its fleet of Airbus A380s, some of the sky's most comfortable and roomy planes. The 'Gulfie', so-called for its base in the Gulf, is also one of the world's most-connected airlines, this year launching new routes to exciting cities including Siem Reap in Cambodia and Shenzhen in southern China. It serves eight airports in the UK, including smaller hubs such as Glasgow and Newcastle. I have flown many times with Emirates over the past few years — always in economy — and have been consistently impressed with the product, particularly on its spacious Airbus A380s. Children are well catered for with toys and Emirates merch, and the in-flight entertainment is one of the best in the sky (if you can forgive the editing out of swear words). The same can be said of its premium cabins — in business class there's even an airport chauffeur thrown in with the fare and in first you can have a shower at 37,000ft. Given how much you fly, we know you have opinions on airlines — both good and bad. We want to know the airlines that you think have gone above and beyond in the past year, whether that's through superb customer service, a world-leading product or exciting new destinations, and now's the time to let us know. Click here to vote — you'll need to choose one in each category in order to be entered for the prizes.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Windstar launches new mini cruises including a sailing under Tower Bridge
Passengers will have the chance to sail under London's Tower Bridge next year as part of Windstar's new series of cruises called 'Quick Getaways'. The luxury small ship cruise line has revealed a new series of three and five-night sailings aboard its Wind Surf and Star Pride vessels. Passengers can choose from nine departure dates. These include a four-night St Malo Getaway on Star Pride that starts and ends in London. Tower Bridge will open for the ship to sail through en route to France's northern coast. The sailing departs on 15 May 2026 with prices from £1,617 per person. Other options include a three night sailing on Wind Surf from Barcelona to the south of France, including stops in the picturesque French towns of Collioure and Carcassonne. This cruise departs on 11 June, with prices from £1,122 per person. Guests can also sail beside seaside villages and roam Corsican markets or raise a glass in Tuscany during a three-night La Dolce Vita itinerary that departs on 31 May. Prices start from £974 per person. Star Pride also has two three-night sailings on either 12 or 19 May around the waffle houses and chocolate shops of Bruges and Antwerp in Belgium, with prices from £1,44 per person. Guests booking by 31 August 2025 can get up to $200 onboard credit per stateroom and a complimentary drinks, tips and internet package valued at £77 per person per day. More mini cruise getaways are also promised for 2027. Jess Peterson, director of itinerary planning, said: "These new sailings are designed for spontaneity and simplicity and are the perfect way to experience the Windstar style of travel.' Windstar is preparing to homeport in London for the first time next year. Longer itineraries from the capital include a 13-night sailing aboard Star Pride that will sail to Belgium and the Norwegian fjords on 19 May. Stops include Antwerp and Bruges in Belgium before visiting more scenic areas in Norway such as Alesund and Trondheim. The sailing ends in Leith, Scotland. Prices start from £4,639 per person.
