Amazon founder Jeff Bezos unveils plans to send a Blue Origin rocket to the moon by 2024 May 10, 2019 Amazon owner Jeff Bezos has unveiled plans to send a spaceship to the moon by 2024 in his latest attempts to become a leader in space exploration. An unmanned rocked, called Blue Moon, will be around the size of a house, and carry four rovers and other scientific equipment to the moon, he said. Bezos, who [...]
Government signs controversial East Midlands franchise contract with Abellio May 9, 2019 The government has gone ahead and signed a controversial contract for the East Midlands franchise with Abellio as the war with Stagecoach over the decision intensifies. The signing has gone ahead after the standstill period – the days following the award decision and its official signing expired at midnight last night. Yesterday Stagecoach's sour relations with [...]
Chris Grayling could be forced to take the stand as Stagecoach launches legal action over franchise snubs May 8, 2019 Beleaguered transport secretary Chris Grayling could be called to the stand to defend the government after Stagecoach formally launched legal action over its decision to disqualify it from three rail franchises. After weeks of tension, Stagecoach formally launched legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT) over its decision to disqualify the firm from the [...]
Chris Grayling ducks questions from MPs over controversial East Midlands franchise award May 7, 2019 Embattled transport secretary Chris Grayling did not show up today for questions from MPs about his controversial decision to bar Stagecoach from three rail franchises, sending a junior minister instead. Grayling had been asked by Labour's shadow rail minister Rachael Maskell to answer concerns that he misled parliament over the decision, which disqualified Stagecoach from [...]
Stagecoach claims pension risks for three spurned rail franchises ‘exceeded £1bn’ May 2, 2019 Stagecoach is engaged in an increasingly bitter battle with the government after it revealed that the pension risks it was being asked to take on for three rail franchises was "well in excess of £1bn". Stagecoach, which runs a partnership with Richard Branson's Virgin Trains, has been at loggerheads with the Department for Transport (DfT) [...]
Extra large order: Beyond Meat hikes offering ahead of float April 30, 2019 A vegan burger startup sent signs of confidence through Wall Street today after raising the price range and size of its initial public offering (IPO). Read more: Vegan startup Beyond Meat brings plant-based burger to the UK In a move that could value the group at almost $1.5bn (£1.15bn), Beyond Meat is set to price [...]
French rail firm SNCF threatens legal action against government over failed HS2 bid April 28, 2019 France’s state-owned rail company SNCF is threatening legal action against the UK government after it was barred from bidding from a contract to run HS2 in an ongoing dispute over pension liabilities. SNCF is the latest firm to get caught up in a row over pensions, which prompted the Department for Transport (DfT) to bar Stagecoach [...]
Why playing a different version of ourselves at work can cause stress April 24, 2019 Just be yourself. It’s a mantra that’s been drummed into us since we were kids. Yet when you leave the comfort of home and school life to start your first job, it can feel like a completely different story. People often adjust their personality in the workplace. Sadly, research indicates that over half of employees [...]
MPs demand action from pensions regulator over ‘staggering’ deficit in rail sector April 15, 2019 The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has been asked to come clean on the extent of the rail sector's pensions deficit after the issue was brought to a head with the government's decision to ban Stagecoach from bidding for three franchises. MPs on the Committee for Work and Pensions wrote to TPR chief executive Charles Counsell last week [...]
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 [...]