British Airways must follow rules when it comes to job cuts, ministers warn June 24, 2020 The transport secretary has warned British Airways (BA) that it must follow the rules when it comes to making sweeping job cuts, saying he is “very, very concerned” about the 12,000 roles set to be made redundant. BA has come under heavy fire in recent weeks over its decision to make the cuts, with many [...]
Government set to announce new hydrogen bus town trial June 24, 2020 The government is set to announce plans for the UK’s first hydrogen bus only town, transport secretary Grant Shapps revealed today. In February ministers unveiled a £50m fund for local authorities to apply to become the country’s first all-electric bus town as part of £170m in new funding for buses. Speaking to the transport select [...]
Coronavirus gives chance to move to ‘different type of railway’, Grant Shapps says June 24, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed that the government will use its emergency control of the UK’s railways to change the way the current franchise system operates. Speaking to the transport select committee this morning, Shapps said: “We were already going to be moving to a different type of railway and different types of contracts [...]
Baggage handler Swissport to make ‘devastating’ 4,175 job cuts June 24, 2020 Airport baggage handler Swissport is set to make 4,175 job cuts as pressure grows on the government to produce a financial package for the aviation industry. Swissport said the coronavirus pandemic has “hit us hard” since the collapse of regional flyer Flybe in March. GMB and Unite, which represent Swissport workers, described the redundancies as [...]
Ford UK chairman calls for government zero emissions strategy June 23, 2020 The chairman of Ford in the UK has today called on the government to join with the automotive industry in developing a long-term strategy to hit its target of only selling zero emissions vehicles by 2035. Speaking at today’s virtual Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) summit, Graham Hoare said: “A successful future for [...]
Calls for rail reform rise as cost of bailout revealed June 23, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps will appear before the transport select committee tomorrow amid growing calls for the government to use its temporary control of the railways to enact reform of the franchise system. In March, the onslaught of the coronavirus crisis prompted ministers to take the UK’s rail firms under emergency measures for six months, [...]
Londoners back Bailey pledge to reverse congestion charge June 23, 2020 Conservative London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has today submitted a petition to City Hall calling on Sadiq Khan to reverse the hike to the congestion charge. Bailey also said that he would undo the increase on the first day of his mayoralty, should he be elected next year. The petition, which has been signed by [...]
One in six auto jobs at risk, car industry body warns June 23, 2020 One of every six jobs in the UK automotive sector remains at risk from the coronavirus pandemic, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warned today, unless the government supplies a dedicated restart package to get the industry going again. Over 6,000 jobs were cut already in June, while a third of all sector [...]
Exclusive: Half of business travel jobs at risk, says BTA boss June 23, 2020 The boss of Britain’s corporate travel industry body has warned that one in every two jobs in the sector is at risk due to the government’s blanket quarantine plans for all incoming travellers, Morning Wire can reveal. Speaking at the Business Travel Association’s (BTA) annual conference, which was held virtually, Clive Wratten said: “Our government [...]
Virgin Atlantic to restart flights to 17 destinations in August June 22, 2020 Virgin Atlantic has laid out plans to restart passenger flights to 17 more destinations from August onwards, following its initial return next month. The new tranche of destinations include Barbados, Tel Aviv, San Francisco and Miami, though the restart does depend on travel restrictions being lifted around the world. The announcement comes after the embattled [...]