Mark Harper: Transport secretary ‘proud’ of decision to axe Manchester leg of HS2 October 5, 2023 Transport Secretary Mark Harper said he was “proud” of the decision to cut HS2 north of Birmingham as he shrugged off criticism from Tory former premier David Cameron and ex-chancellor George Osborne. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used his speech at the Conservative Party conference on Wednesday to confirm he has axed Phases 2a and 2b [...]
Sunak faces backlash from Johnson and Cameron over HS2 axing – as he’s reported to the police in Scotland October 5, 2023 Rishi Sunak has faced criticism from his predecessors in Number 10 for losing a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” by cancelling the northern leg of HS2. The Prime Minister defied senior Tories and business leaders to scrap HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester saying “the facts have changed” and the cost of the high-speed rail scheme had “more than [...]
Pendragon shares tumble after Hedin drops takeover bid October 4, 2023 Pendragon shares slumped over six per cent this afternoon after a joint takeover bid for the company was taken off the table. Hedin Mobility Group and Penske Automotive Group confirmed on Wednesday afternoon they do not intend to make an offer, ending their part in a three-way bidding war for one of the UK’s largest [...]
Vertu Motors on hunt for more acquisitions after record revenues and bumper dividend October 4, 2023 Vertu Motors boss Robert Forrester has said the car dealership is pursuing more acquisitions after it reported record revenues and a bumper dividend in its interim results. Speaking to City A.M. following the announcement, Robert Forrester said the company had a “pipeline” of acquisitions and was working closely with manufacturers “wherever they want us to [...]
Sunak strips HS2 bosses of London Euston responsibility: ‘There must be accountability for mistakes made’ October 4, 2023 HS2 Ltd has been stripped of responsibility for Euston station as there “must be some accountability for the mistakes made”, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. Rishi Sunak used his speech at the Conservative Party conference to confirm that the high-speed railway will reach the central London station after developing a plan that will generate cost [...]
Hitachi’s £1.5bn Thales tie-up gets green light from CMA after proposed sell off October 4, 2023 The UK competition watchdog has given the green light for Hitachi’s £1.5bn takeover of Thales’ rail signalling interests, after the Japanese firm agreed to sell parts of its European mainline business. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into the deal amid concerns that it would reduce competition in the supply of rail [...]
Rishi Sunak to defy backlash by axing HS2 route to Manchester October 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak is expected to defy a backlash from Tory colleagues and northern leaders by abandoning the high-speed rail route to Manchester as he seeks to portray himself as a radical reformer. The Prime Minister is expected to use his Conservative conference speech in the northern city to axe the HS2 leg from Birmingham as [...]
Cost of rail strikes mounts to £716m as taxpayers forced to support struggling industry October 4, 2023 Industrial action has cost the rail industry £716m since the feud between unions and operators began, new figures have revealed.
‘Brand thieves’: Easyjet’s parent firm takes legal action against UK band Easy Life October 3, 2023 Easyjet’s parent company Easygroup is suing a Leicestershire band over the use of ‘easy’ in its name. The artist called Easy Life has said the airline’s biggest shareholder is taking legal action against it, with the aviation giant insisting it has chased numerous similar cases in the past. Easy Life is a five-member band formed [...]
Heathrow Airport to trial security booking slots in bid to cut wait times October 3, 2023 Heathrow Airport has launched a six month free trial allowing passengers to pre-book slots at security, in a bid to reduce wait times.