Avanti contract to be renewed despite no sign of train timetable issues abating soon September 5, 2022 The London-Manchester train operator Avanti West Coast is to receive fresh government support with a new long-term agreement to keep the line going. Three weeks ago the operator slashed services between the cities, reducing trains from three to one an hour, with no sign of when normality will return. Its managing director Phil Whittingham is [...]
Drivers still get ‘raw’ deal at pumps despite 12p drop September 5, 2022 Drivers continue to get a raw deal at the pumps despite a 12p price drop in August – the highest monthly slump on record. According to an analysis published today by the RAC, the average price of a litre of unleaded is now below 170p when it should be around 161p. Retailers would still have [...]
Aston Martin launches £575m rights issue powered by Saudi Crown Prince MBS September 5, 2022 Luxury car maker Aston Martin confirmed this a.m. a £575m rights issue, which will be supported by a fund controlled by Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader. It told shareholders on Monday that it will launch the rights issue – a share offer to current investors intended to raise new cash – as part of a [...]
UK in the running for £7bn lithium battery gigafactory among European peers September 5, 2022 The UK is in the running for an $8bn (£6.9bn) lithium battery gigafactory, squaring up to European peers in the race to cultivate healthy electric vehicle industries locally. The global energy transition has prompted countries, such as the UK, the US and Germany, to double down on their support for domestic electric vehicle markets. The [...]
Britons stuck in hour-long bottlenecks at Calais September 4, 2022 Hundreds of Britons returning home from abroad have been stuck in hour-long queues at the Port of Calais. Ferry operators P&O and DFDS have apologised for the bottlenecks at the border, telling travellers to arrive at least 90 minutes ahead of their expected departure. “Please be advised there are currently wait times of 90-120 minutes [...]
Shipping titan CMA CGM creates £1.3bn fund to accelerate net-zero September 4, 2022 Shipping titan CMA CGM has created a $1.5bn (£1.3bn) energy fund to accelerate its transition to net-zero. “In the face of the climate emergency it is our duty to do more and accelerate our actions,” said chief executive Rodolphe Saade. The five-year fund will support the industrial production of renewable fuels as well as low-emission [...]
Tui pilots launch lawsuit over sick pay and changes to benefits September 4, 2022 Tui pilots on sick leave have launched a lawsuit against the travel giant over changes to sick pay and pension benefits. Eight employees took the airliner to the London High Court, claiming the carrier “concealed the true nature of the changes” included in a new sick pay plan, which was approved by staff in August [...]
Sigh of relief as energy price cap forecasts drop by more than £2,000 in just a week September 4, 2022 The forecasts for next year’s energy price caps have once again dropped as gas prices fell this week. Auxilione, a consultancy that updates its predictions daily, reduced its price cap forecast for April next year by £23 – the third drop in a row. The forecast for April’s cap is now £5,539 per year for [...]
Tube and Elizabeth line journeys to and from Heathrow become peak fares today September 4, 2022 All tube and Elizabeth line journeys to and from Heathrow through zone 1 will be charged a peak fare starting today. Journeys that avoid zone 1 will continue to remain off-peak while services to stations before Heathrow will not be affected. Transport for London (TfL) said this was part of the government’s funding conditions, which [...]
NASA calls off plans for second attempt at Artemis 1 rocket launch September 3, 2022 NASA has scrapped plans for a second go at launching the Artemis 1 rocket following a hydrogen tank leak. The US space agency faced obstacles in the way of technical and weather issues on its first attempt to send the rocket to space last week. Now, engineers at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center have advised that [...]
