Watchdog extends Thomas Cook probe December 19, 2019 The UK’s accounting watchdog is extending its investigation into the collapse of travel operator Thomas Cook. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) announced a probe into EY’s audit of Thomas Cook’s financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2018 following the company’s collapse earlier this year. Read more: Thomas Cook went bust with liabilities of [...]
Vauxhall union seeks assurances over $50bn PSA-Fiat mega-merger December 18, 2019 The UK’s largest union is seeking an urgent meeting on the future of Vauxhall after the car company’s owner PSA agreed to merge with Fiat Chrysler. The deal, which is worth $50bn, will see the as yet-unbranded new firm become the world’s fourth largest car manufacturer. Read more: Fiat Chrysler and PSA agree $50bn mega-merger [...]
Revealed: Testing delays mean Crossrail may not open until October 2021 December 18, 2019 The central section of Crossrail may not be open before October 2021, despite claims it could be launched in the first quarter of that year. The project has been cursed with endless delays and budget blowouts, with its cost now expected to be £18.25bn – £3.4bn over its original costings. Crossrail bosses announced in November [...]
Experts unsure about the effect of air pollution on the Tube December 18, 2019 The effects of the high levels of dust and air pollution throughout London’s Tube system is unknown, according to a new report. A London Assembly report into Tube dust confirmed that “concentrations of particulate matter on underground platforms” are much higher than outside. Read more: London Underground has the city’s highest level of air pollution [...]
Shipping sector proposes $5bn fund to cut emissions December 18, 2019 The global shipping industry will this morning submit a proposal to form a $5bn research and development fund for decarbonising the industry. Shipping currently accounts for two per cent of all global emissions. Read more: Global banks are leading the charge to decarbonise shipping The fund, which will operate over a ten-year period, is designed [...]
Software error scuppers space rocket’s search for Earth-like planet December 17, 2019 An IT glitch has scuppered the launch of a space rocket designed to study exoplanets after the craft’s automated take-off sequence was interrupted. The Characterising Exoplanet Satellite (Cheops) is a European Space Agency mission dedicated to studying nearby exoplanets, those outside the solar system, in search of a new Earth. It was the first mission [...]
Person dies after being hit by train at Harringay station December 17, 2019 A person has died after being hit by a train at Harringay station in north London this morning. In a statement, British Transport Police confirmed that officers were called to the station shortly before 11.50 this morning following reports of a casualty on the tracks. Paramedics were also in attendance, but the person was pronounced [...]
RMT pledges to fight Tory plans for ‘minimum service’ during strikes December 17, 2019 The boss of the RMT transport union has hit out at government plans to pass legislation to ensure commuters to can get to work during strikes. Responding to the proposed legislation, general secretary Mick Cash said: “It hasn’t taken long for the true colours of this new Tory government to emerge. Read more: South Western [...]
Exclusive: Crossrail safety issues spiral in 2019 with record rate of near-misses December 17, 2019 High risk incidents in the construction of Crossrail doubled this year, in a trend that an engineering company contracted by Transport for London (TfL) has described as “worrying”. Crossrail records the number of incidents that could, in different circumstances, have caused death or serious injury. This year, Crossrail workers have been involved in 50 of [...]
Boeing halts production of 737 Max planes December 17, 2019 Boeing has announced that it will halt production of its grounded 737 Max jet in January, after the US aviation regulator said it would not approve the aeroplane’s return to service before 2020. The decision was made by Boeing’s board last night following a two-day meeting in Chicago. Read more: Boeing 737 Max: Grounding could [...]
