London blasts strand trains, buses, maybe flights

In LONDON story “London blasts strand trains, buses, maybe
flights,” please read in first paragraph … on Thursday …
instead of … on Wednesday … .

A corrected story follows.

By Jason Neely, European Aerospace & Airlines Correspondent

LONDON (Reuters) – London was plunged into transport chaos
on Thursday with underground trains stranded in tunnels and all
buses pulled from the streets for bomb checks following deadly
blasts that destroyed at least one doubledecker.

The gridlock quickly stretched beyond London. Trains from
across Britain were prevented from entering closed stations in
the capital, where ambulance teams helped the injured including
scores of travelers stranded underground.

A spokesman for Eurostar said trains to and from France
were running but added: “The situation is being monitored by
the second.”

A doctor at Aldgate underground station close to the
financial center of London where one of the train blasts
occurred said at least 90 people were wounded there.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke told the House of Commons
that efforts would be made to resume underground and bus
operations as soon as possible but gave no indication of when
that might be.

“People are strongly advised not to travel into central
London as the emergency services must be allowed to do their
work in the most effective way they can,” he said.

British Airways said it expected flights to be affected
after rail links to the capital’s airports were suspended.

“There’s been no impact as yet, but that is likely to
change through the day,” a spokeswoman said. “We’re looking at
plans for how to cope.”

HEATHROW SECURITY TIGHT

Extra patrols of armed police were at Heathrow airport, the
world’s busiest air hub, amid tightened security as world
leaders opened their G8 Summit at Gleneagles, a golf resort
some 750 kilometers (466 miles) north of London.

“We were already on a heightened level of security, so that
is still the case, which means higher police presence,
additional patrols by armed police. If the security authorities
give us any advice, we will obviously be taking that,” said a
spokeswoman for Heathrow operator BAA Plc.

“This will probably have an impact later in the day,” she
said of possible flight disruptions.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport declined to
comment on what measures if any were being taken to step up
checks on passengers trying to leave the UK by car, plane,
train or ship.

“We do not disclose details of security procedures,” he
said.

The Port of London said there had been no incidents there,
but it was on a high level of alert and working closely with
the Metropolitan Police Marine Support Unit.

Ferry operator P&O said all ferries and ports were
operating normally.

(Additional reporting by Pete Harrison)