Home to roost? Poultry industry warns of ‘catastrophic’ border disruption January 19, 2021 The UK’s chicken farmers have become the latest food suppliers to slam the government over new Brexit border rules, which are causing enormous disruption to supply chains. Under the new rules, exporters are facing an entirely new set of customs rules, with products of animal origin needing new paperwork and checks at borders. “These issues [...]
Transport for London drops plans to make all stations cashless January 19, 2021 Transport for London (TfL) has today dropped plans to make all of its underground, overground, and DLR stations cashless. Last year the transport operator proposed plans to make all ticket machines across its network cashless as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But after lobbying from campaign groups like London Travel Watch, it has elected [...]
Business directors removed from UK travel exemption list January 19, 2021 Top business leaders are no longer exempt from UK travel restrictions, meaning they will have to self-isolate for 10 days when returning to the country. Business directors bringing jobs and investment to the UK had been listed as one of the exemptions of the coronavirus quarantine rules. But new changes that came into effect at [...]
British lorry drivers now need negative Covid test to enter Denmark and Netherlands January 19, 2021 Hauliers will now need to provide a negative coronavirus test before entering Denmark and the Netherlands, the government has announced. All drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) have been told they will be eligible for free Covid tests at specialist sites across the country. However, just four out of 35 of the sites will run [...]
More than £115m of public money spent on Crossrail 2 consultants January 18, 2021 More than £115m of taxpayer money has been spent on Crossrail 2, before the project has even been green lit. The £33bn project, which would see a new north-south Tube line through London, was put on hold earlier this year as Transport for London (TfL) were forced to seek a government bailout. Delays and budget [...]
Rail industry adds voice to calls for Eurostar support January 18, 2021 The rail industry has thrown its weight behind calls for the government to prop up the struggling Eurostar rail link between the UK and the continent. Yesterday a group of London-based businesses wrote to ministers demanding swift action to safeguard the Eurostar’s future. Now the Rail Industry Association (RIA), a trade body which represents the [...]
Drones and robots may get their big breakthrough in 2021, says what3words CEO January 18, 2021 2020 was a volatile and unpredictable year for businesses large and small. In a sink-or-swim situation, the swimmers were those who responded fairly quickly to the pandemic and managed to come up with creative and innovative solutions. This often involved pivoting to an entirely new model, according to Shoreditch-based Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of [...]
Audi latest carmaker to delay production amid parts shortages January 18, 2021 Audi has become the latest carmaker to be forced into delaying production due to a global shortage of semi-conductors. The German auto giant has had to put more than 10,000 of its staff on furlough as a result of the lack of chips, chief executive Markus Duesmann told the FT. The production pause comes after [...]
A million Vauxhall drivers may be in line for compensation following emissions test cheating claims January 18, 2021 More than a million Vauxhall drivers in the UK could be due compensation, following allegations the car manufacturer cheated emissions tests. Campaign group Vauxhall Pay Up, which launched today, claims the car company installed software on 600,000 vehicles to cheap emissions tests. Drivers who bought or leased Vauxhall cars between 2009 and 2019 could be [...]
Uber offers money off trips to mass-vaccination centres January 18, 2021 Uber will cover up to £15 worth of passengers’ trips to seven mass-vaccination centres in England, including to the Nightingale hospital in London. Customers can book the service by entering the correct promotion code for the mass-vaccination hub they are travelling to in the app ahead of booking their journey. Uber has become the [...]