EV market shows signs of maturing as second hand sales double May 10, 2022 The UK electric vehicle market has shown signs of maturing as the number of second hand sales has doubled over the last year, according to a quarterly report by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) published today. Despite a combination of Covid-induced supply chain issues – including semiconductor shortages – and the impact [...]
UK needs to invest billions to become global player in EV battery market May 10, 2022 The UK needs to ramp up funding and production if it wants to become a global player in the electric vehicle (EV) battery market, according to a report published today. The Green Finance Institute’s Coalition for the Decarbonisation of Road Transport (CDRT) argued that the UK should increase its battery capacity from the current 2GWh [...]
Transport for London debt downgraded by ratings agency due to “uncertain” financial future May 9, 2022 A MAJOR ratings agency has downgraded Transport for London’s (TfL) debt due to the “uncertainty” of its long-term funding, in a further sign of the financial difficulty the operator finds itself in. Moody’s announced it had downgraded TfL’s long-term debt as a result of weaker economic growth and higher inflation delaying the service’s return to [...]
Travel chaos hits new low: Thousands of airline passengers forced to wait outside airport for hours May 9, 2022 Thousands of airline passengers at Birmingham Airport were forced to wait in long queues outside for several hours as the aviation sector continues to suffer from staff shortages. The situation on Monday was described as “absolute chaos” and “manic” by travellers on Twitter. One person said it took her “two hours to get through check-in [...]
Prince Harry teams up with Google, TripAdvisor, Visa and Expedia to launch eco-tourism project May 9, 2022 The Duke of Sussex has announced the launch of a sustainable tourism campaign, inspired by New Zealand’s native Māori people. Prince Harry revealed his new project on a television show in the country this week, working with six major companies including Google and Skyscanner to promote more eco-friendly travel. The initiative, called Travalyst, was created [...]
Trafigura funds development of UK’s first lithium refinery May 9, 2022 Trafigura said it will fund the development of the UK’s first lithium factory for an undisclosed sum. The group explained that the refinery, operated by domestic start-up Green Lithium, will produce battery-grade lithium chemicals for the EU electric vehicle and battery industries. Under the agreement, the commodities giant will supply lithium feedstock an invest equity [...]
Supercar Special: 15,230 vehicles worth £770k+ each now on UK roads with Ferrari beating McLaren, Lamborghini and Bugatti May 9, 2022 There are now 15,230 so-called supercars on UK roads, with Ferrari topping the list, beating its main rivals McLaren and Lamborghini. Supercars are defined as high performance, road legal cars. Easily recognisable supercar brands such as Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini are best known for their speed and cost. The average price tag for a supercar [...]
Northern Line Bank branch to reopen next Monday after seventeen-week closure May 9, 2022 THE CITY’S REBOUND from Covid-19 will receive a significant boost next week when the Northern Line’s Bank branch reopens. Stations from Moorgate to Kennington will welcome commuters again after a seventeen-week closure on Monday May 16. The work to upgrade Bank station has been completed on time and the new station is set to offer [...]
Easyjet removes plane seats to slash number of stewards on board to three May 9, 2022 Easyjet has removed the back row seats from its A319 planes to cope with labour shortages. By removing the six seats, capacity on easyJet planes has gone down to 150, requiring only three cabin crew members instead of four. The airline said the decision was an “effective way” of operating its fleet and it was [...]
Flower Power: Network Rail to boost travellers’ mental health with flower compositions May 9, 2022 Network Rail has announced it will start displaying flower compositions in UK train stations as a way to boost travellers’ mental health. While the railway operator hopes it will “lift people’s spirits,” the Better Journeys’ initiative aims to raise awareness of the Hub of Hope app, which helps people access mental health support. Installations will [...]