Say hello to the new lifestyle SUV April 13, 2010 ITS predecessor was undoubtedly ugly even for a 4×4, but there is no doubt about it: the first, most obvious element of the new Kia Sorento is how attractive it is. It’s one of the first Kia cars to be have been styled German design boss Peter Schreyer – the man who penned the Audi [...]
Lib Dems unveil plans to pump £3bn of new investment into Britain’s railways April 5, 2010 THE Liberal Democrats yesterday set out audacious plans to overhaul the UK’s rail network, unveiling plans for the biggest expansion of the railways since the Victorian era. The party said it would fund the revamp via swingeing cuts to spending on major roads, ploughing almost £3bn into a new Rail Expansion Fund from which councils [...]
Wave of strikes set to cause transport chaos March 30, 2010 BRITONS are facing a spring of strikes with a raft of airline, rail and tube walkouts hitting travellers. Major disruptions are likely as British Airways (BA), Network Rail and London Underground staff threaten to launch further walkouts. The news comes as Network Rail has taken legal action against rail union RMT over threats of a [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS March 30, 2010 Clifford Chance The law firm has elected Michael Bates and Robert Lee as the new joint practice area leaders for its London finance practice, effective for a four-year period starting tomorrow. Bates, pictured, has been a partner since 2001 and specialises in acquisition and leveraged financings in the infrastructure sector. Lee, a partner since 1997, [...]
HIP TO BE SQUARE March 30, 2010 IN recent years cubic cars have proved a hit with design-savvy car connoisseurs and have created something of a trend in car design. For a while Nissan’s Cube was the leader in boxy cool – a toy-like, distinctively Japanese design created to be an extension of your home first, your mode of transport second – [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS March 29, 2010 Bank of America Merrill Lynch The bank has appointed Carole Berndt and Wayne Scott to its corporate banking team as part of a global shake-up. Berndt, pictured, is head of EMEA global treasury services and joined from Citigroup. Scott is head of EMEA financial institutions treasury sales, also based in London. He was most recently [...]
What Westfield tells us about UK Plc March 28, 2010 IF you want to understand what is happening to the economy, you could do worse than to check out the Westfield shopping centre in West London on a weekend. The place was packed to the rafters on Saturday afternoon, with long queues in front of every single one of the dozens of restaurants and cafes; [...]
A central London property means you can avoid the Tube crush and commute on foot March 25, 2010 ONE in 500 Londoners currently walks to work, and those who have witnessed the capital’s rush-hour crush, when mild-mannered professionals turn into a baying rabble, stamping over the elderly, the sick or the pregnant – anyone who gets in between them and a seat – will understand the appeal of this arrangement. The journey to [...]
At a glance: All of Alistair Darling’s 2010 Budget tax and spend policies March 24, 2010 THE ECONOMY/ PUBLIC FINANCES l Confirmed pre-Budget report (PBR) 2010 growth forecast of 1-1.5 per cent. But the chancellor revised downwards the 2011 forecast to 3-3.5 per cent to bring forecasts in line with those of the Bank of England. Growth forecast of 3.5 per cent in 2012 maintained. l Inflation spike expected to be [...]
Tube staff threaten strike March 24, 2010 LONDON Underground has been given until the end of today to withdraw plans to axe 800 jobs or workers will walk out of the job. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which is representing workers facing job cuts said it will call a ballot for strike if management doesn’t comply. “We have already warned [...]