Fixing the rail system means putting passengers first December 5, 2018 The headlines yesterday that Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) must spend £15m on passenger improvements to hold onto its franchise will be welcome if overdue news for the droves of commuters whose lives were made hell during the timetable chaos earlier this year. The Department for Transport labelled GTR’s performance “unacceptable”, and has not only decreed [...]
Thames Water five-year, £1.4bn loan agreement gives incentives for going green December 4, 2018 Thames Water today announced it has signed a £1.4bn revolving credit facility which links interest rates to the company’s success in meeting its environmental responsibility targets for the next five years. In a move designed to rebuild public trust in the company after a series of scandals including a £20m fine last year for pumping [...]
Outsourcer Mitie to step electric vehicle operation up a gear with 717 new cars and vans to enter fleet by 2020 December 4, 2018 Outsourcer Mitie’s shares rose this morning on the announcement it is to introduce electric vehicles into its fleet of cars and vans. The facilities management and professional services company said one-fifth of its 3,587 so-called smaller vehicles would be electric by the end of 2020, a total of 717 vehicles. Mitie said it would install [...]
Ghosn faces fresh arrest as Nissan fails to find new chairman December 4, 2018 Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn faces arrest on a fresh charge of understating his income in a move that could keep him in detention for the rest of the year. Tokyo prosecutors plan to issue a new warrant for Ghosn on suspicion of underreporting roughly ¥4bn (£27.7m) of his salary over the last three years, [...]
No-deal Brexit would be ‘disastrous’ for Toyota and could cost £10m a day, MPs hear December 4, 2018 Toyota has warned MPs that a no-deal Brexit would be “disastrous” to its car making operation in UK, and could cost the company around £10m a day. Tony Walker, deputy managing director of the company in Europe, said it was “unimaginable” that it would be able to change customs procedures to fit World Trade Organisation [...]
Govia Thameslink Railway operator strikes deal with government following rail chaos December 4, 2018 Go Ahead Group has struck a deal with the Department for Transport to allow it to hang on to the troubled Govia Thameslink Railway franchise. Go Ahead has agreed to introduce a profit sharing mechanism with the DfT for the remainder of the franchise which runs until 2021. As a result, the margin over the [...]
Transport secretary Chris Grayling could have done more to avert May timetable chaos, say MPs December 4, 2018 Transport secretary Chris Grayling should have been "more proactive" in averting the crisis that unfolded from the timetable upgrade in May, MPs have said. The Transport Select Committee said it was "not reasonable" of Grayling to "absolve himself of all responsibility" in the May timetable change, which resulted in widespread cancellations, delays and overcrowding. The committee [...]
Sadiq Khan hits back at Terry Morgan over Crossrail comments December 3, 2018 Sadiq Khan has hit back at Crossrail chairman Terry Morgan over comments he made about what the mayor knew about the project’s delay. The soon-to-be-sacked Morgan told the BBC earlier today that he was in “absolutely no doubt” that Khan was told on 26 July that it was no longer feasible to deliver Crossrail, also known [...]
Rail regulator fines TfL and Balfour Beatty over £400,000 for injury of rail worker December 3, 2018 The rail regulator has fined London Underground and Balfour Beatty more than £400,000 for breaking health and safety laws that led to a worker suffering life-changing injuries. London Underground was fined £100,000 while construction giant Balfour Beatty was hit with a £333,000 fine. Both bodies pleaded guilty to breaking the laws, which resulted in worker [...]
Crossrail chairman Terry Morgan ‘in no doubt’ that Sadiq Khan was told about project delay in July December 3, 2018 The soon-to-be sacked HS2 chairman Terry Morgan has insisted he told Sadiq Khan that the £15.4bn Elizabeth Line was not going to open on time at least a month before the London mayor said he knew about the delay. Morgan, who has led the Crossrail project for a decade, told the BBC that he was in "absolutely no [...]