Boeing boss to tell senators in 737 Max hearing: ‘We made mistakes’ October 29, 2019 Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg will face a grilling from US senators this afternoon over how his company certified its 737 Max jet to fly, after two crashes in the last year killed 346 people. Muilenburg, who was last month stripped of the dual role of chief executive and chairman, has spent much of this [...]
Rail: Williams review recommendations ‘could take 10 years to implement’ October 28, 2019 Some recommendations of an upcoming wide-ranging independent review into Britain’s railways could take up to a decade to implement, the review’s chairman suggested today. Keith Williams, who heads up the Williams Review, told MPs that the government would be able to bring some of his suggestions about in a short timeframe, others would require primary [...]
Uber sizes up to the City in financial services push October 28, 2019 Ride-hailing app Uber has taken a leaf out of the Square Mile’s book, and today revealed a move into financial services. The tech giant has set up a new division within the company called Uber Money, which will include a digital wallet and support for the firm’s debit and credit cards. The debit card is [...]
Ulez charge has added £41m to TfL coffers since April October 28, 2019 More than £40m has been raised from Sadiq Khan’s air pollution levy in the scheme’s first six months. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Transport for London (TfL), sent by car selling comparison website Motoway.co.uk, revealed 2.1m Ultra Low Emissions Zone (Ulez) charges were purchased by drivers up to 31 August. Read more: Ulez [...]
Virgin Galactic shares blast off as Sir Richard Branson’s firm makes New York Stock Exchange debut October 28, 2019 Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism venture, Virgin Galactic, has taken off on the New York Stock Exchange this afternoon, with shares soaring more than eight per cent in early trading. The company completed a merger with a US investment vehicle late on Friday, making it the first commercial space venture to go public. Branson, who [...]
Volkswagen throws down the gauntlet to Silicon Valley on self-driving cars October 28, 2019 Europe’s biggest car manufacturer has shifted its fight against Silicon Valley’s nascent self-driving car industry up a gear. Volkswagen has announced the foundation of Volkswagen Autonomy, or VWAT, its own self-driving tech subsidiary, to take on the likes of rivals such as Google’s Waymo. Read more: Car alarm: Half of UK consumers fear driverless vehicles [...]
The regulator’s intervention on car finance hides an underlying reality October 28, 2019 The UK’s car finance boom has been a cause for concern for some time now, and the regulator is finally cracking down on questionable practices. One common complaint of this sector has been the practice whereby a car dealer or broker will make commission on the interest rate of the loan. By setting a higher [...]
Virgin Galactic brings space tourism to public markets as New York float beckons October 27, 2019 Investors will get their first chance to buy into a space tourism firm tomorrow, when shares in Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic start trading in New York. The company tied the knot on a merger with a US investment vehicle late on Friday, meaning it will go public when markets open tomorrow, in what its [...]
Riding by: Kapten’s new chief executive plots out the company’s bold future October 27, 2019 French ride-hailing company Kapten launched in London six months ago, with a bold plan to loosen Uber’s iron grip on the sector. The company barged onto the scene in April and immediately paid for a flurry of advertising playfully mocking its competitor. “Others avoid paying VAT in the UK – that’s not Uber cool,” one [...]
Addison Lee lenders ‘circle’ taxi giant as sale effort continues October 26, 2019 Addison Lee has insisted it expects “a successful conclusion” to the “ongoing” sale process despite reports that its lenders are preparing to take control of the London taxi company. A syndicate of a dozen banks led by ING have drafted in advisers from Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) to consider their options, according to Sky News, [...]