Mercedes invests €1bn to realign network for EV production December 14, 2022 Mercedes is investing over €1bn (£859m) to realign its global network for the production of electric vehicles (EV) from 2024. The German car maker has pledged to become fully electric by 2030 “wherever market conditions allow.” As part of the realignment, plants in Germany and China will continue to assemble batteries for models coming into [...]
Rail strikes: Minister Huw Merriman to hold talks with RMT and train operators December 14, 2022 Rail minister Huw Merriman is set to hold the latest round of talks with the union RMT and train operators after this week’s strike brought the UK to a standstill. Merriman will meet with union bosses as well as with train companies and Network Rail tomorrow in an eleventh-hour attempt to solve the rail dispute [...]
It’s beginning to look a lot like chaos: Rail strikes hit London as businesses shed Christmas bookings December 14, 2022 Parts of London resembled a ghost town yesterday as rail workers kicked off the first of several days of strikes. Bars in the capital warned they are haemorrhaging tens of thousands of pounds in lost bookings due to mass walkouts deterring commuters, raising the threat of businesses missing out on their third ever-critical golden quarter [...]
Eurostar travellers breathe sigh of relief as security guards call off weekend strike December 14, 2022 Hundreds of travellers will breathe a sigh of relief after Eurostar’s security guards called off this weekend’s strikes. Members of the union RMT contracted by facility manager Mitie were supposed to walk out on 16, 18, 22 and 23 December as part of an ongoing dispute over salaries. But they have now suspended this week’s [...]
Sunak calls on Khan to scrap Ulez expansion to all London boroughs December 14, 2022 Sadiq Khan should “listen to the public” and scrap the planned expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) to all of London, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said. Sunak said during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today that it is the “overwhelming” view of London residents that the levy should not be expanded. Ulez will [...]
Avanti apologises ‘unreservedly’ for poor service over recent months December 14, 2022 Avanti West Coast has apologised “unreservedly” for providing an unacceptable service to passengers over the past few months. Richard Scott, director of corporate affairs at parent company West Coast Partnership, told a parliamentary committee today the service provided “has not been good enough and I apologise unreservedly for that.” The troubled train operator came under [...]
Solidarity? These rail strikes hit the lowest-paid the hardest December 13, 2022 In primary schools across the world, teachers spend hours pointing out to their students the wonder of the natural world – the way all the pieces fit together to make a whole. Bug-eyed kids stare avidly at the inner workings of an ant’s nest; others might be shown a video of the ways bee colonies [...]
National Highways lifts 900 miles of roadworks planned for Christmas December 13, 2022 National Highways has lifted almost 900 miles of roadworks planned for the Christmas period to help Britons get around. The vast majority of roadworks will be removed from England’s major arteries from 6am on 20 December to 12am on 3 January, leaving 98 per cent of motorways and A-roads free. Transport secretary Mark Harper said [...]
Hapag-Lloyd forecasts small increase in shipping demand towards year’s end December 13, 2022 Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has forecast a small and short-lived uptick in demand towards the year’s end. The world’s fifth-largest shipping company saw a decline in demand in September and October as the cost-of-living crisis weakened consumers’ appetite. “I don’t think the market is as weak as it was four or eight weeks ago,” chief executive [...]
Felixstowe: Workers reach deal and accept 8.5 per cent pay increase December 13, 2022 Workers at the port of Felixstowe have finally reached a deal and accepted an 8.5 per cent pay increase for 2023. The port said that over 90 per cent of workers agreed to the rise, which also includes an additional £1,000 lump sum. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement on the 2023 pay [...]