Border closures force Toyota to shut three plants early for Christmas December 22, 2020 Toyota plans to shut production at three plants in Britain and France early for Christmas, due to likely part shortages as a result of border closures. Toyota’s plant in Deeside, Wales, will close from today, and its vehicle plant in Burnaston will close from tomorrow. In France, its site at Onnaing will shut its doors [...]
MPs question government’s 2025 broadband target amid 5G concerns December 22, 2020 MPs have questioned the government’s ability to meet its revised-down target for “gigabit-capable” broadband to be delivered to most of the country by 2025, saying the industry faces serious challenges over such a short time-scale. The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee also said the rollout of superfast 5G internet risked creating more “not-spots” in [...]
Exclusive: Siemens UK boss explains why the pandemic has been a ‘helpful’ distraction from Brexit December 21, 2020 Despite the many difficulties, the pandemic also brought some good, such as a distraction from Brexit, Siemens UK CEO Carl Ennis tells City A.M. in an exclusive interview. Read more: Siemens UK chief executive Juergen Maier announces early retirement Brexit The fact that the virus pushed Brexit down the hierarchy of news was helpful, in Ennis’ [...]
New: ‘Health protocol’ to be put in place in hours to get freight moving, says French transport minister December 21, 2020 “A solid health protocol” will be put in place in the coming hours so flows of goods between the UK and France can resume, the French transport minister has said. There has been chaos at Dover this morning after the French government banned all travel from the UK for 48 hours, including freight drivers, prompting [...]
Shapps claims ‘this is not unusual’ ahead of emergency Cobra meeting on Dover December 21, 2020 Boris Johson will hold a meeting with the government’s emergency committee this morning after France closed its border with the UK following a new, more infectious strain of coronavirus in the South East of England. Last night the French government banned all travel from the UK for 48 hours, including freight drivers. The move comes [...]
Break: Government freezes quarantine list for Christmas period but US Virgin Islands fall foul December 17, 2020 The Government has added Uruguay, Namibia and the US Virgin Islands to the list of countries returning passengers must quarantine after visiting. But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said there will be more changes to the quarantine list until January 7th, mitigating the chance of travel chaos over Christmas, unless it is an “emergency.” No [...]
British Airways to stop flights to Sydney and Abu Dhabi amid Covid downturn December 17, 2020 British Airways is axing its direct flights to more than a dozen destinations, including Sydney and Abu Dhabi, as it trims its schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic. The UK flag carrier will cut non-stop flights to 13 destinations from the summer, with others to be suspended for six months. From the beginning of March, [...]
US airlines near new $17bn payroll aid package December 17, 2020 US airlines are nearing a new $17bn (£12.5bn) package to keep workers on the books as part of a $900bn stimulus scheme for the world’s largest economy. A prior programme worth $25bn ran out at the end of September, forcing carriers to put tens of thousands of employees on unpaid leave. The new deal would [...]
Crossrail failed to carry out survey work on historic Soho venue despite ‘high risk’ to punters December 16, 2020 Crossrail failed to carry out survey work on a historic cellar bar in Soho despite receiving warnings from its own contractors that weak vaults posed a “high residual risk” to punters. The report, which was carried out in 2016 by consultants WSP and has been seen by City A.M., says that the vaults in the [...]
CMA investigating airlines over lack of refunds for cancelled flights December 16, 2020 The UK’s competition watchdog has announced that it will investigate the country’s airlines over their failure to offer refunds to customers who could not fly due to the pandemic. As a result of travel restrictions due to coronavirus, thousands of passengers have had their flights cancelled over the course of the year. Consumer groups have [...]