Stagecoach buoyed by British rail performance March 1, 2012 Transport group Stagecoach said recent trade had been good, driven by strong growth at its rail businesses, and that it was hopeful of winning more rail franchises in Britain. “Overall current trading remains good and we believe the prospects for the group remain positive,” the company said in a statement on Thursday. “The overall profitability [...]
Cameron’s anger as unions mull mass strike action during London Olympics February 29, 2012 DAVID Cameron has condemned calls from the leader of the UK’s biggest trade union for strike action during the Olympics as “completely unacceptable and unpatriotic”. Len McCluskey, head of Unite, had said workers should consider disrupting the Games as a protest against the government’s planned slowdown of public spending. McCluskey said people coming to Britain [...]
Unite boss raises Olympic strike February 29, 2012 The leader of Britain’s biggest union has said workers should consider strike action to disrupt the Olympic Games as a protest against the government’s public spending cuts. Len McCluskey, general-secretary of the Unite union, told the Guardian that the austerity measures were so unfair that they justified action during the event. “If the Olympics provide [...]
Crossrail train work has to benefit Brits February 28, 2012 BOMBARDIER’S hopes have been raised over lucrative work to build trains for London’s Crossrail project, after the government said the supplier must fulfil the contract in a way that benefits Britain. The Canadian firm, which has a factory in Derby, will compete with Hitachi, Siemens and Spanish group CAF for the contract to supply around [...]
House prices flat as Britons stuck renting February 26, 2012 HALF of Britons do not expect to buy a house until they are in their forties, a survey showed today, while the housing market stayed flat again through February. Average rents rose to £890 per month at the end of 2011, but 61 per cent of renters cannot afford to buy, according to a survey [...]
The energy policy paradox: cheap tariffs for the savvy mean higher bills for most February 26, 2012 AT A time when energy bills are soaring, many families will be angry that British Gas reported profits last week of over £500m. It follows the news ten days ago that EDF’s profits rose to almost £1.6bn and announcements from the other “Big Six” energy firms are due in the coming weeks. But politicians and [...]
Build for the future to keep the City running February 26, 2012 THE recent Court of Appeal hearing regarding the St Paul’s protest will be welcome news to many working in the City. Although peaceful protest is a democratic right and often sparks important debate, it is equally important that the rights of people working in the City are also respected. The mess and nuisance generated by [...]
Go-Ahead banks on the Olympics for a boost over summer February 23, 2012 RAIL and bus group Go-Ahead is hoping the Olympics will boost its takings, after the firm posted a 13 per cent fall in half-year profits to £44m partly due to one-off costs. Go-Ahead said its focus on “more vibrant urban areas” is continuing to build passenger numbers, shown by its “robust” six per cent revenue [...]
These Olympic Games are a chance to show the world what BA’s about February 21, 2012 Frank van der Post is the man making sure that British Airways gets a flying start as 2012’s airline partner Q. What was your brand’s primary reason for being involved with the Games? A. We’re a tier one sponsor for London 2012, and although we’ve sponsored British athletes before, it’s the first time we’ve been [...]
Airline industry is demanding more capacity February 20, 2012 THREE airline industry trade bodies will join forces today to call for an increase in Britain’s flight capacity in order to boost global competitiveness. ADS Group, the Airport Operators Association and the British Air Transport Association spoke out as the government prepares for a consultation on aviation, including plans for a new multi-runway hub airport. [...]