Government ‘significantly underestimating’ airport testing effectiveness, new study finds October 22, 2020 New independent analysis has emerged which calls into question the government’s claim that airport testing for coronavirus will only detect seven per cent of cases. The research, from consultancies Oxera and Edge Health, along with Dr Kit Yates from the University of Bath, says that the methodology used by Public Health England (PHE) was flawed. [...]
Tesla cracks revenue record and beats estimates, shares take off October 21, 2020 Tesla on Wednesday reported its fifth consecutive quarterly profit on record revenue of $8.8bn (£6.7bn), boosted by an uptick in vehicle deliveries and sales of environmental regulatory credits to other automakers. The electric car maker also affirmed its target to deliver half a million vehicles by the end of this year, a goal that will [...]
Rail franchises paid out £90m in delay refunds last year October 21, 2020 Rail franchises paid out nearly £90m to passengers in refunds for delays last year, new figures from the Department for Transport showed today. In total, the 27 franchises paid out £89.4m, £10m more than they did the prior year. Nearly a quarter of that figure came from London North Eastern Rail, which gave passengers £21.4m [...]
Business bodies slam government’s TfL bailout conditions as a ‘mockery’ October 21, 2020 London business bodies have slammed the government’s demands for a potential bailout for Transport for London (TfL) as a “mockery”, accusing ministers of “railroading” policy through while the transport network is on its knees during the pandemic. Ministers last night threatened to take direct control of TfL unless London mayor Sadiq Khan accepts a raft [...]
Khan accuses PM of ‘blatant lie’ in tit-for-tat over TfL bailout October 21, 2020 Sadiq Khan has accused the government of “lying” and playing “party political games” during Transport for London (TfL) bailout talks, sparking a tit-for-tat with the Prime Minister over the future of the ailing transport network. The London mayor told TfL’s board meeting today that the government wrote a “blank cheque without conditions” when giving emergency [...]
Number of Tube journeys rises again ahead of Tier 2 restrictions October 21, 2020 The number of Tube journeys rose again last week despite the announcement of harsher restrictions on the capital, new data from Transport for London (TfL) has shown. Although London was moved into Tier 2 restrictions from midnight on Friday, there was no sign of a drop off in travel ahead of the new coronavirus limitations [...]
Government warns that it will ‘take control’ of TfL unless bailout demands met October 20, 2020 The government has warned Sadiq Khan that it will take the management of Transport for London (TfL) into its own hands if the Mayor does not accept its demands as part of a new bailout deal. In return for a second rescue package, transport secretary Grant Shapps has set out a number of demands including [...]
UK airports losing £83m a week due to coronavirus October 20, 2020 The UK’s airports are losing £83m a week as a result of the coronavirus crisis, the Airport Operators Association (AOA) revealed this evening. Air travel has been decimated by the pandemic, with the collapse of passenger revenues on course to set the sector back £4.3bn this year. However, the trade body said that the real [...]
Start of airport testing ‘shot in the arm’ for travel industry October 20, 2020 The launch of the UK’s first pre-departure testing facility at Heathrow Airport has been lauded today amid hopes that it can boost the ailing travel industry. Swissport and Collinson teamed up to launch the facility this morning, with tests costing passengers £80. The programme aims to give travellers their results in less than an hour. [...]
Trainline chief executive Clare Gilmartin steps down October 20, 2020 Rail ticketing firm Trainline (TRN) has today announced its chief executive Clare Gilmartin will stand down at the end of February. She will be replaced by current chief operating officer Jody Ford, who was previously chief executive of Photobox. “The decision to step down next year is a personal one; after seven years at the [...]