Transport select committee chair reveals it needed to push the DfT hard to get details of Southern rail contract December 12, 2016 The government deliberately withheld details regarding the Southern rail contract from the scrutiny of a select committee, an MP has claimed, and has been accused of dragging its heels on dealing with the rail firm's operational failings. Transport select committee chair Louise Ellman revealed her frustration at the lack of action by the department for transport (DfT) in the [...]
London Southend is flying high as business travelers push private jet usage up 25 per cent December 12, 2016 Business travel is taking off this year as London Southend Airport reported private jet usage was up 25 per cent year on year between March and August. Compared to London's other business jet airports, the Stobart-owned business has the advantages of its convenience and special offerings, said the airport's head of business aviation Hannah Lo Bao. London Southend is located 35 miles from central [...]
Rebuffed by unions: The government did offer to get involved in the Southern dispute last week December 12, 2016 The trade unions at the centre of the Southern rail dispute refused to respond to approaches from the transport minister to avert this week's industrial action. Economics minister Simon Kirby today received a letter from Chris Grayling revealing the reticence by the unions to get round the table and the threats by drivers union Aslef for [...]
London Luton Airport’s passenger numbers were up 13 per cent in November December 12, 2016 London Luton Airport (LLA) had a record-breaking month with 13 per cent passenger growth in November. This month was the London airport's 32nd consecutive month of passenger growth, following its milestone in October of 14 million passengers. LLA is currently investing more than £110m to increasing the airport's capacity from 12m to 18m passengers per year by 2020. The upgrades include improvements [...]
Southern rail tells customers not to travel tomorrow whether or not it manages to block one of the two sets of strike action December 12, 2016 Southern rail has decided to elevate itself to the same level of the great British institution of bad weather and told London's workers not to worry about rail strikes and simply take the day off. While bosses in the City may have been a little more sympathetic to a day of workers being stranded in their houses as [...]
Great Western Railway customers face fresh disruption as cleaners stage two one-day walkouts on run-up to Christmas December 12, 2016 Rail commuters are facing another layer of disruption after unions announced cleaners will go on strike on the run up to Christmas. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) today announced after a "massive yes vote" cleaners would walk out on 16 and 23 December – 109 members voted in favour of the action. Employees of [...]
Now you’ll be able to fly non-stop from London to Australia (thanks Qantas) December 11, 2016 Travellers heading down under will soon be able to do so without a single stop on the nearly 9,000 mile journey. Qantas has revealed ambitious plans for the first ever direct flights between the two countries will become reality by March 2018, all thanks to the Dreamliner aircraft, in a move hailed as a "game-changer". “When [...]
Southern rail make late attempt to appeal Thursday’s High Court Aslef ruling December 9, 2016 Southern rail has lodged an eleventh hour attempt to avert trains grinding to a halt next week. The rail firm is under unprecedented pressure from two trade unions: joining forces with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), members of drivers union Aslef will walk out for nine days starting next Tuesday. Whereas previously Southern has managed to [...]
Uber treats drivers like Victorian “sweated labour”, says Frank Field in gig economy report December 9, 2016 Frank Field might be more commonly known as one of the thorns in Sir Philip Green's side, but Uber might now have a bone to pick with him too. The Labour MP and chair of the Work and Pensions Committee has uploaded a report to his site analysing the working relationship between Uber and its drivers, [...]
Andrew Tyrie demands Chancellor reveal more Heathrow details: It’s crucial that parliament “has all the tools at its disposal” December 9, 2016 Firstly Andrew Tyrie wasn't happy with the government over what assurances Nissan had been given on Brexit, writing to the head of the National Audit Office for more detail. And now, the chairman of the Treasury Committee has called on the government to be more forthcoming on Heathrow expansion too. The Conservative politician has written to [...]