HS2 could have planning problems without Crossrail 2, says HS2 boss March 5, 2020 HS2 could run into planning problems if Crossrail 2 does not get the go-ahead, according to HS2’s chief executive. Speaking to the Public Affairs Committee yesterday, Mark Thurston said HS2 chiefs had expected Crossrail 2 to be approved when drawing up plans for the high speed train line. He added that the new Crossrail 2 [...]
Flybe collapse: Loganair to take on 16 of Flybe’s routes March 5, 2020 Scottish regional carrier Loganair has said that it will cover 16 of failed airline Flybe’s routes, which will mean adding around 400 flights per week. The 16 routes – from existing Loganair base airports at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Newcastle – will be launched progressively over the next three months, with the majority starting [...]
Car industry calls for electric vehicle tax break as new sales decline March 5, 2020 The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has called for a tax break on all new battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric cars in order to encourage the take up of more environmentally friendly models in the UK. According to the SMMT, cutting VAT on such models would reduce the [...]
Flybe collapse: Regional airports braced for ‘massive impact’ March 5, 2020 The collapse of Flybe could have a “massive impact” on the UK’s regional airports, with considerable doubts as to whether some of the regional carrier’s routes would be taken on by other operators. Aviation consultant John Strickland told the PA News Agency that it would be a “challenge” to get replacement airlines, describing it as [...]
Tube delays caused by faulty trains rise by a third March 5, 2020 The number of Tube delays caused by faulty trains has risen by almost a third in just two years, according to new figures. Between 2016-17 and 2018-19, the number of delays on the London Underground due to mechanical issues with the trains shot up from 3,806 to 5,040 – a 32 per cent increase. More [...]
Flybe passenger Q&A: What should I do if I was due to travel with Flybe? March 5, 2020 Any Flybe passenger will not be able to fly after the budget airline collapsed into administration in the early hours of this morning. It failed to obtain a £100m loan from the government to stay afloat. The airline issued a statement saying that “all flights operated by Flybe have been cancelled with immediate effect”. But [...]
Capita shares dive 20 per cent on full year losses March 5, 2020 Shares in outsourcer Capita plunged 20 per cent this morning after it announced a £62m loss before tax for 2019. Capita said loss before tax was £62.6m, down from a profit of £272.6m last year. Revenue fell from £3.91bn last year to £3.67bn this year. In 2018, Capita launched a sweeping turnaround plan under new [...]
Flybe collapse: Passengers told not to travel as 2,000 jobs at risk March 5, 2020 British airline Flybe has collapsed into administration to leave 2,000 jobs at risk after it failed in its bid to secure a £100m government loan. The budget regional carrier blamed 2020’s coronavirus outbreak for draining customer demand for flights, and warned passengers not to travel to airports. Administrator EY has taken charge of the business [...]
Global airlines could take $113bn hit from Covid-19, four times worse than past predictions March 5, 2020 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that the coronavirus could cost the global industry up to $113bn this year, nearly four times larger than previous estimates. The industry body’s best-case scenario sees a minimum hit of $63bn if the Covid-19 virus is contained within current markets, but said this figure could nearly double [...]
Flybe collapse: Travel sector reacts as regional airline goes bankrupt March 5, 2020 Beleaguered Flybe collapsed into administration in the early hours of this morning, as its long-running bid for survival finally ran out of fuel. In a statement, the regional airline said: “All flights operated by Flybe have been cancelled with immediate effect”. The firm added that a slump in demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak had [...]