Ex-Uber self-driving chief Anthony Levandowski declares bankruptcy March 5, 2020 Uber’s former self-driving unit boss Anthony Levandowski has declared bankruptcy, after being ordered to pay Google $179m. Anthony Levandowski has been engaged in a long-running battle with Google’s parent company, Alphabet, after it was alleged he stole secrets from the company’s autonomous driving unit Waymo. Levandowski had been an engineer for the self-driving project, before [...]
Coronavirus: Two more Scotland cases confirmed as UK total hits 90 March 5, 2020 Two more cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Scotland, bringing the UK total to 90. Scottish health secretary Jeane Freeman announced the news this morning, telling BBC SCotland that cases in in the Grampian area and Ayrshire were confirmed last night. One of the patients had recently travelled to Covid-19 hotspot Italy, while the [...]
HS2: Top civil servant admits to withholding information on cost blow out March 4, 2020 Whitehall’s top transport civil servant appeared to admit to withholding information that showed HS2 would go over budget in a parliamentary committee hearing today. The Department for Transport’s (DfT) permanent secretary Bernadette Kelly answered questions from the Public Accounts Committee on the controversial project. The high speed rail line – connecting London, Birmingham, Crewe, Manchester [...]
Worst investment return in history? Bloomberg bows out of Presidential race March 4, 2020 Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has suspended his presidential campaign after spending more than $500m on advertisements. Bloomberg, one of the world’s richest men, dropped out after failing to win any of the key Super Tuesday Democratic primary states yesterday. He did, however, claim victory in the territory of American Samoa. Instead, it was former Vice President [...]
Whitehall needs ‘delivery revolution’ to avoid wasting £10bn March 4, 2020 The government will waste £10bn in its attempts to “level up” the country’s infrastructure unless it reforms project delivery, according to a leading London think tank. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the wave of new projects in next week’s budget to fulfil the Tories’ election promise to spend £100bn on infrastructure. However, a [...]
Hammersmith Bridge to close for Boat Race spectators amidst safety fears March 3, 2020 The Hammersmith Bridge will be closed to spectators for the annual Boat Race, turning away thousands from the popular vantage point. The bridge has been closed to cars last April due to safety concerns, with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham estimating repairs will cost £120m. The council said today it had been asked [...]
Crossrail 2 business case passes major Department for Transport hurdle March 3, 2020 The business case for Crossrail 2 has been given preliminary approval by the Department for Transport (DfT), bringing the project closer to a decision on its final fate. The latest business case for the new north-south Tube line was submitted to the government by Transport for London (TfL) in June last year. It includes details [...]
TfL rolls out new trains on the London Overground March 3, 2020 A raft of new trains will be rolled out on the London Overground from today. Transport for London (TfL) announced today that the new electric trains will increase capacity by 10 per cent and replace the oldest rolling stock on the network. The new trains are on overground routes from Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town [...]
Coronavirus: Sadiq Khan says Tube travel ban very unlikely March 3, 2020 Londoners are unlikely to be advised to stop using the Tube during the coronavirus outbreak, according to Sadiq Khan. Speaking after the launch of his re-election campaign today, the mayor of London said he does not believe it will be necessary to ban public gatherings or tell people to stay away from public transport. Khan [...]
Sadiq Khan eyes power to implement rent controls in campaign launch March 3, 2020 Sadiq Khan will launch his re-election campaign today by pledging to win powers to implement rent control in London if he is returned to the top job. Launching his campaign at a Hackney housing estate today, Khan will say that his victory would represent an “undeniable and irresistible” mandate to enforce rent controls – a [...]
