Christmas Tube strike on the cards as RMT ballots London Underground staff October 3, 2016 Bad news for the capital’s commuters – London Underground could be facing a new strike threat just in time for the festive period. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are set to vote on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action in the coming weeks. While union leaders have not yet [...]
TfL signs £79.7m five year deal with Serco to upgrade the capital’s thousands of Boris bikes October 3, 2016 Transport for London (TfL) has signed a deal with Serco to develop the next generation of London’s cycle hire scheme, Santander Cycles. The five year contract is valued at £79.7m and Serco will distribute and maintain the hire scheme, while the upgraded bike will be made by Pashley Cycles, a Stratford-upon-Avon firm which celebrated its [...]
Southern Rail sets out eight-point plan in open letter to RMT as it attempts to avert more strikes October 3, 2016 Southern Rail's owner has made a final attempt to break the deadlock in its long-running industrial dispute with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union. A series of five walkouts between 48 and 72-hours are planned in the coming weeks with the first starting on 11 October. And Govia has upped its efforts by setting out an eight-point plan that [...]
A one-day walkout on Virgin Trains East Coast started this morning October 3, 2016 A 24-hour strike on Virgin Trains East Coast kicked-off in the early hours of this morning as part of a long-running dispute over jobs. The rail franchise said that it plans to run a normal service despite the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union saying that around 1,800 of its members would be taking action. Read [...]
London bus bursts into flames at Liverpool Street station October 2, 2016 A London bus burst into flames near Liverpool Street station on Sunday morning, blocking roads in the City. The fire ripped through the routemaster bus at around 10am this morning. London Fire Brigade attended the incident and the fire was extinguished, leaving the area cordoned off around the shell of the burnt out vehicle. It's understood [...]
Airbus announces restructuring plan in order to bring the group closer together September 30, 2016 French aerospace giant Airbus Group has announced a corporate shake-up that will see divisions merged, brands simplified and bureaucracy removed. The group’s plane and engine divisions will be brought under one umbrella with Fabrice Bregier taking on the role of chief operating officer of the new company to be called simply “Airbus”. "We are bringing Team [...]
Brits stick together as British Airways says it will start selling Marks and Spencer food on board September 30, 2016 There was good news and bad news for British Airways (BA) passengers today after the airline announced that it will serving up Marks and Spencer food on its short-haul flights from next year, but customers are going to have to pay for it. Following the lead of low-cost airlines, complimentary snacks will be a thing of the [...]
Get on with it: Businesses get impatient over runway woes after reports suggest Theresa May has enough backing for Heathrow expansion September 29, 2016 Businesses are saying enough is enough to endless dithering over airport expansion, as reports emerged yesterday suggesting government might now have enough support to push through a Heathrow expansion. Sean McKee, director of policy at the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told City A.M. he hoped the latest news was not another "false start". [...]
Arriva holds onto the Cross Country rail franchise in “milestone” award by Department for Transport September 29, 2016 Arriva has won a three year contract extension to run the Cross Country rail franchise in a deal with the Department for Transport worth £163m. The Deutsche Bahn-owned company has run the franchise since 2007 and revealed a raft of new initiatives it intends to implement as part of the deal that starts in October. These included promising to waive [...]
Heathrow plans to increase domestic routes and eke out more flights if given the green light for expansion September 29, 2016 Britain's exit from the EU means that Heathrow Airport could be released from the euro-shackles that limit domestic flights and provide a boost to the Conservative Party's plans for a Northern Powerhouse. Under current rules, the number of domestic flights from Heathrow is limited in order that other EU destinations are fairly served. Read more: Heathrow lays claim to being Britain's [...]