DEBATE: Would scrapping peak and off-peak rail fares lead to a better train ticketing system? February 25, 2019 Would scrapping peak and off-peak rail fares lead to a better train ticketing system? Ben Glover, researcher at Demos, says YES. Rail travel offers lots to moan about, but little is more frustrating than the irrationality of ticket prices. Why can a single ticket cost the same as a return? Why can trains leaving minutes apart [...]
U-Lez Miserable? London’s small businesses need support on new emissions rules February 25, 2019 A week is a long time in politics, or so goes the famous adage by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson. And it is apparent that a week and a half will be a very long time indeed in the world of small businesses, between 29 March and 8 April. With our departure from the European [...]
Total could face massive shock as energy broker Utilitywise goes bankrupt February 24, 2019 Oil major Total may lose thousands of small business customers after Utilitywise went out of business earlier this month. The French giant is one of the UK’s biggest non-domestic energy suppliers, and stands to lose out more than others from Utilitywise’s collapse, the Sunday Times reported. Read more: Lights out: Around 1,000 jobs at risk [...]
Government should cap Heathrow passenger charges says British Airways owner IAG February 24, 2019 One of the world’s largest carriers has called on the government to cap the amount passengers are charged for travelling through Heathrow. IAG, the owner of British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, hit out at the airport for benefiting its shareholders at the expense of passengers. Read more: Over 80m passengers flew through Heathrow Airport [...]
BMW and Daimler launch urban mobility joint venture February 22, 2019 BMW and Daimler have launched a sustainable mobility joint venture including ride-hailing, parking and electric car charging services. The firms will invest more than €1bn to develop their urban mobility businesses and the merger brings together car-sharing services Reach Now and Share Now, charging service Charge Now, ride-hailing service Free Now and parking app Park Now. [...]
Government report warns of Eurostar chaos in no-deal Brexit scenario February 22, 2019 Eurostar train services could face heavy disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit, with a government report indicating that queues could reach up to 15,000 passengers each day. A report by the Department for Transport said in the worst case scenario the daily queue could stretch for almost a mile from St Pancras station [...]
Flybe completes sale to Virgin-led consortium after dramatic last-minute challenger bid February 21, 2019 Struggling regional airline Flybe has completed the sale of its assets to a consortium of buyers led by Virgin Atlantic. Flybe confirmed it has sold its assets and operations for £2.8m to Connect Airways, an investor group consisting of Virgin Atlantic, Stobart and hedge fund Cyrus Capital. The deal comes just days after it emerged [...]
EU opens investigation into scheme designed to keep British lights on February 21, 2019 European authorities will now investigate a British system designed to prevent energy blackouts, months after an EU court suspended the scheme. The so-called capacity market started last year, as the government tried to incentivise producers to meet peak demand. Read more: Ofgem price cap: What to do if your energy bills shoot up The system [...]
Uber Eats cuts app fees to compete with food delivery rivals Just Eat and Deliveroo February 21, 2019 Uber is to cut the fees it charges to restaurants that use its food delivery app in a bid to out-compete rivals such as Just Eat and Deliveroo. Uber Eats will reduce the commission it charges to restaurants that use its app from 35 per cent to 30 per cent, which it says makes it the most competitive delivery [...]
Revealed: These are London’s most stressful Tube stations February 21, 2019 There’s nothing that Londoners love more than hating the Tube – and their local Tube station, in particular. But thanks to new research by web conferencing firm Powwownow we can officially name and shame the very worst of the worst. Read more: Citymapper launches contactless London travelcard for commuters Powwownow crossed Transport for London (TfL) 2017-18 data [...]