Elsewhere, The Times says self-driving cars could be on our roads as early as next year under government plans to make them safe, while The Daily Star reports on a worker fleeing the cost of living crisis for an extended holiday in France and Spain.

Here are the travel-related headlines for Friday (19 August).

Record-breaking gloom grips Britain ahead of ‘nightmare’ winter
A record-breaking economic gloom is gripping Britain as households brace for a “nightmare” winter of soaring costs. Consumer confidence has plummeted to its lowest ever level as the Bank of England increases interest rates to counter rocketing inflation, according to a closely watched survey from data company GfK. Meanwhile, separate data showed that a host of industries are in contraction in a sign the country is teetering on the brink of recession. (The Telegraph)

RMT chief warns of indefinite strikes
The head of the RMT union on Thursday warned that passengers face an “indefinite” campaign of strike action on the UK’s railways unless the government and industry reach a negotiated settlement with workers. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch wrote to transport secretary Grant Shapps demanding ministers step in to end the long-running dispute over pay, working practices and job security, which saw only about a fifth of train services run in Britain on Thursday. (Financial Times)

Wish you weren’t here
A savvy worker is packing his bags and moving to Spain for the winter – to save cash on fuel bills. An average household’s energy bill is set to see an annual increase of between £1,600 and £3,600, in addition to rising food costs, other household bills, and high fuel costs. Tom, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk was horrified by the predicted bulls Octopus Energy quoted him so he decided to pack his bags, shut off his electricity and gas at home, and travel to France and Spain for several months. (The Daily Star)

Look, no driver
Self-driving cars could be on Britain’s roads as early as next year under a £100 million government plan to make autonomous vehicles safe.The Department for Transport (DfT) said it would introduce laws to allow for the introduction and that the self-driving industry could create up to 38,000 jobs and be worth £42 billion for the economy. The government wants self-driving vehicles to be used for deliveries and public transport by 2025, but some cars, coaches and lorries with self-driving features could be allowed on motorways from next year. (The Times)

Anger at record profits for P&O owner
The Dubai-based owner of P&O Ferries has been accused of behaving like “corporate gangsters” after celebrating record-breaking profits just months after sacking 800 of its UK-based workers without notice.
DP World, which is ultimately owned by the Dubai royal family, said in March that firing 786 P&O seafarers and replacing them with much cheaper agency workers was the only way to ensure the “future viability” of the historic ferry business. However, on Thursday Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World’s chair and chief executive, announced the company had increased its first-half revenues by 60% to $7.9bn (£6.6bn) and profits had risen by more than 50% to a record $721m. (The Guardian)