DfT unveils plan to head off Brexit-induced mega traffic jams in Kent February 17, 2020 The government is to deploy a San Francisco-style moveable barrier in the hope of avoiding Brexit-induced mega traffic jams throughout Kent. The £60m moveable barrier, creating a temporary contraflow system, can be set up “within hours” and will be available from December, transport secretary Grant Shapps revealed this morning. Although the UK has officially left the [...]
Bakerloo Tube strike this weekend means FIVE London Underground lines will be out of action February 17, 2020 London commuters are bracing for travel chaos over the weekend as nearly half of all Underground lines are set to be closed amidst a Tube strike. Bakerloo line drivers from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) are expected to walk off the job on Friday for a three-day strike over a [...]
Alstom confirms Bombardier merger talks February 17, 2020 French train manufacturer Alstom has confirmed talks to purchase the rail division of Canadian firm Bombardier are ongoing. The proposed deal could be worth $7bn on an enterprise value basis, Reuters has reported. Reports of the merger came last week, quoting a French TV station, that Alstom’s board was set to make an offer. “Alstom [...]
Tesla’s short-selling critics do not have to be rewarded to be right February 17, 2020 Short-selling, or shorting, is the act of betting against a company’s stock. If the share price goes down, the short-seller makes money. If the share price goes up, they lose it. It is the most rhetorical of investments. A short position is a statement of a belief: a minority opinion held against the will of [...]
Coronavirus: F1 owner braces for £33m hit as Shanghai Grand Prix stalls February 16, 2020 Formula One has revealed that it risks losing its estimated $33m hosting fee for the Chinese Grand Prix if the authorities in Shanghai give the red light to the race over the coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese Grand Prix was due to take place in Shanghai in April but was postponed by F1 last week at the request [...]
Rail franchising model ‘set to be scrapped’ in coming weeks February 16, 2020 Boris Johnson is set to dramatically overhaul the nation’s rail network by scrapping the rail franchise model and capping profits by private providers. Former British Airways boss Keith Williams was drafted to conduct a review of Britain’s railways last year, with the report set to be released in the coming weeks. It’s now expected that [...]
Grant Shapps denies DfT talks with China over HS2 contract February 16, 2020 The transport secretary Grant Shapps has today denied reports his department has held talks with China over building the HS2 rail link. The Financial Times reported China’s state-run railway company had offered to build the line in five years at significantly reduced cost. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in parliament that the scheme would go [...]
HS2: China tells UK it can build high-speed line in five years and at lower cost February 15, 2020 The UK is considering giving China’s state-owned railway builder a role in constructing the HS2 rail line. Government officials said “preliminary discussions” had taken place, but no “concrete commitments” had been made. The Chinese railway firm said it could build the line in five years and at a much lower cost, according to a letter [...]
Passenger with suspected coronavirus lands at Heathrow February 14, 2020 A passenger travelling from San Francisco suspected of having coronavirus has landed at Heathrow airport this morning having fallen ill on the flight. The United Airlines flight from the US landed in London this morning with the captain telling passengers “someone on the plane has suspected coronavirus”. Passengers were forced to wait on board the [...]
Renault hits the skids as Nissan scandal pushes carmaker to a loss February 14, 2020 Renault posted its first loss in a decade today as the French car giant took a hit from its alliance with Nissan, which remains mired in a scandal concerning former boss Carlos Ghosn. The company lowered its guidance on the back of the results, setting a margin between three and four per cent, down from [...]
