Land of the car? Trump slams Ford for backing stricter emissions rules August 22, 2019 Donald Trump has found a new target for his Twitter ire: the global automotive industry. The US President yesterday mounted a series of attacks on car makers for snubbing his plan to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency rules, singling out Ford for instead siding with a California state deal which proposes stricter emissions standards. Read [...]
Shell boosts power business with £344m Aussie takeover August 22, 2019 Shell took another step to boost its electricity supply business as it bought Australia’s second-largest power company in a AU$617m (£344m) deal. The board of ERM recommended today that its shareholders vote for the deal, which represents a 43 per cent premium to its last closing price. Read more: Shell Energy to pay £390,000 after [...]
Ryanair loses court bid to stop pilot strikes August 21, 2019 Ryanair has lost a legal bid to prevent its pilots from striking later this week but insisted its passengers would suffer little disruption. The budget airline applied for a High Court injunction that would have stopped its UK pilots from striking tomorrow and on Friday, meaning the industrial action will go ahead. Read more: Pilots [...]
Ryanair awaits London ruling after Irish court grants injunction to stop strikes August 21, 2019 The Irish High Court has granted Ryanair an injunction to prevent its Irish pilots from going on strike tomorrow, as the budget airline awaits a ruling from the English High Court over the industrial action. An application by the airline for an injunction to block the two day strike will be heard by the High [...]
HS2 faces the scrap as Boris Johnson kicks off review August 21, 2019 The controversial HS2 high speed rail line could be scrapped after the government launched a review into the scheme following mounting concerns over its cost and deliverability. Transport secretary Grant Shapps officially kicked off the review into the high speed line, which will connect London to Birmingham from December 2026, and Birmingham to Manchester and [...]
‘Massive gravy train’: British Airways owner IAG slams Heathrow expansion plans August 21, 2019 British Airways’ parent company has accused Heathrow airport of “treating customers with contempt,” saying plans to spend billions on its expansion before getting planning permission amounted to a “heist”. In an excoriating attack, International Airlines Group accused Britain’s biggest airport of covering up the cost of the expansion. Heathrow has claimed the plans can be [...]
Grant Shapps indicates support for TfL gaining control of commuter belt August 20, 2019 Sadiq Khan and transport secretary Grant Shapps held their first meeting yesterday, in which the devolution of commuter lines to Transport for London (TfL) was at the top of the agenda. Shapps, who replaced Chris Grayling as transport secretary in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet overhaul, is understood to be more open to the idea of giving [...]
Power up: Grid may need upgrade to avoid more blackouts August 20, 2019 Experts have questioned if National Grid’s processes and backup systems are up to scratch after the worst power cut in a decade ground trains to a halt. A report, released today by National Grid, showed the system followed correct procedure when lightning struck on 9 August. Read more: Bolt from the blue: Grid blames lightning [...]
Bombardier retains maintenance job on East Midlands franchise trains August 20, 2019 Bombardier has been tasked with maintaining 27 trains on the East Midlands Railway franchise for the next three-and-a-half years, in a contract award worth £133m. The Canadian heavy manufacturing giant will look after the 125-miles-per-hour diesel-electric trains at its Derby depot, in a continuation of services which it already runs for Abellio and Eversholt Rail. [...]
City of London brings out new rules to tackle wind-inducing skyscrapers August 20, 2019 The Square Mile may be famed for its financial clout and history, but in recent years it has also been known for other elements: extreme wind. The City of London Corporation has become so concerned about pedestrians and cyclists being toppled over in the street by the skyscrapers that adorn its skyline that it is [...]