Rail union boss threatens national shutdown following Stagecoach pensions row April 11, 2019 The boss of one of the UK's largest transport unions has threatened a national shutdown on the railways following a row over pensions that escalated after the government barred Stagecoach from bidding for three rail franchises. Yesterday Stagecoach, which runs a partnership with Richard Branson's Virgin Trains, was excluded from bidding for the East Midlands, West [...]
Uber investors buckle up for lower IPO price after Lyft shares veer off course April 11, 2019 Uber may be planning to price its shares more modestly than expected in its eagerly-anticipated float as it looks to learn from the torrid trading of its smaller rival Lyft. Analysts have warned the ride-hailing giant may need to lower its expectations for its initial public offering (IPO), after Lyft’s poor performance sparked fears big tech [...]
Council blasted for ‘incompetence’ over Hammersmith Bridge closure April 11, 2019 Hammersmith and Fulham council have been criticised for an apparent lack of transparency over the Hammersmith Bridge, which has been closed indefinitely over safety concerns. The suspension bridge over the Thames was found with “critical faults” that would risk the safety of users and the council said it had “no choice” but to shut the bridge. The [...]
Panasonic reviews plans for investment in Gigafactory battery plant with Tesla April 11, 2019 Panasonic is reviewing further investments in battery manufacturing at its Tesla Gigafactory site amid fears of declining demand for the high-performance electric cars. The move comes after local media reports stated the two companies had frozen plans to expand capacity at the Gigafactory 1 site in Nevada by a further 50 per cent. Read more: [...]
New York budget carrier JetBlue to make London its first-ever European destination with flights from 2021 April 11, 2019 New York's flag carrier JetBlue will make London its first European destination when it offers flights to the city from 2021, the low-cost airline announced today. JetBlue, which is also Boston's largest airline, said the new routes to London will be served by Airbus A321LR and will mark the first-ever transatlantic service offered by the [...]
Ofgem announces tougher new rules for fledgling energy companies April 11, 2019 UK energy regulator Ofgem will make companies applying for a license to supply energy undergo more stringent tests from June in a bid to drive up standards in the industry. Read more: Homes switch energy supplier at record rate Prospective energy companies will need to show they can properly fund their activities for their first year [...]
Passengers warned of disruption as Euston station set to close over Easter and May Bank holiday weekends April 10, 2019 Euston station will be closed for several days over the Easter and May Bank holiday weekends with no trains running in and out of the station, passengers have been warned. The busy London station will be shut from 19 to 22 April and from 4-6 May, which will close routes and lead to longer travel [...]
Stagecoach ‘extremely concerned’ after being barred from upcoming rail franchises amid pensions row April 10, 2019 Stagecoach has been disqualified from three major UK rail franchises it was bidding for, amid concerns it is a “pensions risk”. The company is seeking an urgent meeting with government after a senior Department for Transport (DFT) official “verbally informed” Stagecoach it could no longer bid for the East Midlands, South Eastern or West Coast [...]
Old school train tickets to be a thing of the past as rail companies ramp up smart tickets April 10, 2019 Old-school orange rail tickets could become a thing of the past as train companies ramp up the technology for paperless 'smart' tickets. Nine in 10 tickets offered around UK rail stations will be soon be available to buy paperless at busy stations such as Waterloo, Brighton, Gatwick Airport, Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central following upgrades to the [...]
Transport heads raise concerns over Sadiq Khan’s plans for TfL takeover of Network Rail April 9, 2019 Leading Assembly members have raised concerns over Sadiq Khan’s headline-grabbing plan for Transport for London (TfL) to take over key routes and stations from Network Rail in London. Last month the London mayor said responsibility and funding for key rail assets such as tracks and stations should be transferred to the transport body to plug [...]