Bus privatisation a ‘masterclass in how not to run a public service’, report finds July 19, 2021 The privatisation of the UK’s bus industry three decades ago has proved a “masterclass in how not to run an essential public service”, a new report into the sector has found. Philip Alston, a law professor and former UN special rapporteur for poverty, said that since Margaret Thatcher’s reforms in 1985, the country had been [...]
TfL launches campaign to rally confidence in commuters and fill-up tubes July 19, 2021 In its bid to breathe the capital back to life, Transport for London (TfL) has launched its largest campaign since the 2012 Olympics to rally confidence in commuters. Tube and bus networks have been far quieter than they were 16 months ago, so TFL’s ‘Welcome back London’ campaign seeks to highlight what Londoners have missed [...]
France placed under new ‘amber plus’ quarantine rules in last minute government U-turn July 17, 2021 Double-vaccinated travellers from France to the UK will still have to quarantine on return from Monday, after a last minute U-turn announced by the government late on Friday night. As the majority of England’s coronavirus restrictions are dropped on 19 July, fully vaccinated adults arriving to the UK from “amber list” countries will not be [...]
Saudi Arabian wealth fund takes McLaren stake in £550m raise July 16, 2021 Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has today taken a stake in iconic supercar maker McLaren through an equity raise. Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has taken part in a £550m raise likely to be unveiled within days, as was first reported by Sky News. Along with investment firm Ares Management, PIF will put £400m into [...]
Face mask mandate to stay for airports and flights July 16, 2021 Travellers will still be required to wear face masks after English legal restrictions ease, UK airports and airlines said in a joint statement today. Passengers who refuse to wear a mask will be denied boarding for both domestic and international flights. Children and those with medical reasons preventing them from wearing a mask will continue [...]
Boeing ordered to check 9,000 737s for switch failures July 16, 2021 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last night told operators of Boeing’s 737 airplanes to carry out checks of the plane’s cabin altitude pressure switches in the latest setback for the aerospace giant. The new directive, which comes just days after the agency found a fault in undelivered 787 Dreamliners, affects some 9,000 planes worldwide. It [...]
Londoners may be set for bumper 5 per cent TfL fares hike in 2022 July 15, 2021 Londoners could face a 5+ per cent hike in Tube fares next year as Transport for London (TfL) is forced to adjust its prices to ballooning inflation. Under the terms of TfL’s most recent government bailout, the transport body has to increase its prices each year by 1 per cent more than the retail price [...]
Hammersmith Bridge to reopen to pedestrians and cyclists this weekend July 15, 2021 The Hammersmith bridge will reopen to pedestrians and cyclists this weekend, Hammersmith & Fulham council have announced this afternoon. Last August the crossing was closed to all users amid fears of a “catastrophic failure” after a heatwave enlarged cracks in the structure. But after a series of safety investigations and the introduction of a temperature control [...]
Test and trace: 10 per cent of Nissan workers told to self isolate July 15, 2021 Hundreds of staff at Nissan’s Sunderland car plant have been told to self isolate by the NHS Test and Trace app, as Covid-19 case numbers have spiked in the area. Roughly 700 workers have been “pinged” by the app, causing disruption to the plant’s production. Sunderland reported 955 Covid cases per 100,000 people last week, [...]
Airline shares fall as Balearics moved to amber, MPs call for furlough extension July 15, 2021 Airline shares took another fall this morning as the industry reacted with dismay to the announcement that the Balearic Islands would be added back onto the “amber list” from Monday. The decision to reimpose additional restrictions on the popular holiday destination comes just weeks after Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza were added to the “green list”. [...]