Breaking News
FirstGroup train and bus operator rebuffs offer from Apollo
FirstGroup, owner of Great Western Railway in the UK and Greyhound in America, rebuffs offer from US firm.
Labour announces plan for under 25s to have free bus travel
Councils opting for publicly owned bus services to get funds partly arising from road taxUnder 25s would have free bus travel under a Labour government, the party said, proposing a scheme that would be paid for by ring-fenced cash arising from road tax.The party said local authorities who moved to introduce public ownership of bus services or franchising would be given the funds to provide free travel. The scheme would incentivise councils to create municipally owned bus companies.
Thursday, 12 April 2018
BBC News
- Famous train makes comeback after 46 yearsOne of the country's best known electric trains is being brought back to life, 46 years after it last carried passengers.
- Rolls-Royce and Boeing invest in UK space engineBoeing and Rolls-Royce are investing in the UK company developing a revolutionary propulsion system.
- Great Western Railway accounts breachedThe firm has reset all customer accounts after discovering about 1,000 had been illegally accessed.
- Londonderry 27m transport hub approvedPlans to redevelop a former Victorian railway station in the city have been given the go-ahead.
- London Underground worker 'pushed' on to tracks at VictoriaBritish Transport Police said it was
- Jeremy Corbyn pledges free bus travel for under-25sThe proposal would only apply in areas where bus services are back in public ownership, the party says.
- How airlines are changing our onboard experienceAaron Heslehurst takes a look at how our flying experience is likely to change.
- FirstGroup train and bus operator rebuffs offer from ApolloFirstGroup, owner of Great Western Railway in the UK and Greyhound in America, rebuffs offer from US firm.
Financial Times
- Greyhound owner FirstGroup rejects bid from ApolloUK transport operator says 'opportunistic' buyout offer undervalues company
- Uber to expand transport options with new dealsCompany adds public transit tickets, rental cars and bike sharing to its app
The Guardian
- British Airways to offer new basic fare on some long-haul routesPassengers paying cheaper rate will have to pay up to £80 to check baggage and £20 to select seatBritish Airways passengers will now have to pay to check luggage on some long-haul routes. A new “basic” fare has been introduced for passengers who have only hand baggage, with tickets costing up to £60 less than the standard return fare, the airline said.Basic fare tickets went on sale on Wednesday for flights from London to Austin, Boston, Delhi, Denver, Dubai, Hong Kong, Oakland, Philadelphia, Punta Cana and Singapore. The cheapest fare – to Dubai – will cost £143 each way. Continue reading...
- Labour announces plan for under 25s to have free bus travelCouncils opting for publicly owned bus services to get funds partly arising from road taxUnder 25s would have free bus travel under a Labour government, the party said, proposing a scheme that would be paid for by ring-fenced cash arising from road tax.The party said local authorities who moved to introduce public ownership of bus services or franchising would be given the funds to provide free travel. The scheme would incentivise councils to create municipally owned bus companies.
The Herald
- Scottish transport giant knocks back US takeover approachFIRSTGROUP, the Aberdeen-based bus and rail giant, has rebuffed a takeover approach from a major US investment firm.
The Telegraph
- Private equity firm Mobeus invests 14m in HS2 supplierMobeus Equity Partners, the private equity backer of Virgin Wines, has written its biggest ever equity cheque to buy a stake in a supplier to the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project
Times Online
- Young drivers face limit on passengers [subscription]Young drivers could be made to undergo six months of training before taking to the road alone under plans for probationary driving licences.
- Drunken air passengers face on-the-spot fines [Subscription]Drunk passengers could be hit with on-the-spot fines for causing trouble on planes as part of a crackdown against air rage.
- First Group rejects takeover offer from US private equity giant Apollo [subscription]One of the worlds largest private equity firms has failed with a bid for First Group, which the transport company rejected with a claim that the approach undervalued its business.
City AM
- Airbus reveals its answer to those who simply aren't content with a standard private jetAirbus today provided an insight into how the rich and famous take to the skies, showcasing its corporate jet range at the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE).
- London Stansted Airport growth in passenger numbers fuelled by take off of business routesGrowth at London Stansted Airport is picking up thanks to a focus on business routes, its parent firm Manchester Airport Group said today.
- One of London's busiest stations has been taken over by Network Rail for major redevelopment plans to ease congestionOne of the capital's busiest stations is being taken over by Network Rail as part of plans to deliver significant redevelopment and cut congestion.
- Great Western Railway warns hackers may have gained access to customers' accountsGreat Western Railway (GWR), which operates routes from London to areas around Bristol, Plymouth and Exeter, has warned customers that hackers have targeted some of their accounts.
- South Western owner First Group rejects "opportunistic" bid from private equity giant ApolloFirst Group, the London-listed transport firm which owns brands such as South Western Railway and Greyhound, revealed this afternoon that it has rejected an "opportunistic" bid from private equity firm Apollo.
- Air Partner shares take off after April's accounting turbulenceAn accounting black hole at private charter firm Air Partner will not exceed 4m, the firm said today.
Mail Online
- Now Europe's largest plane-maker Airbus refuses to back the sale of GKN to City vultures Melrose The controversial takeover of British engineering giant GKN was dealt a major blow yesterday after key customer Airbus said it still had concerns about the sale to City predators Melrose.
This is Money
- Bus operator FirstGroup is targetted by US private equity firm FirstGroup, which owns Greyhound buses and Great Western Railway, has been approached by private equity firm Apollo Global Management.
- Pothole riddled roads are the second biggest concern for voters in England Residents in the North West, West Midland, East Midlands, Eastern and South East all said that maintenance of roads in their area is their most important policy area above all others.
- DAILY BRIEFING: Gatwick Airport saw passenger numbers increase Passengers travelling through Gatwick Airport increased by 2.5 per cent in March compared with a year earlier as long haul flights soared in popularity – up 23.2 per cent.
Birmingham Mail
- Birmingham city centre to be closed to traffic as HSBC bike ride returns for 2018 This is when cars will be banned from miles of Birmingham roads to allow free cycling event
- Jeremy Corbyn plans free bus travel for 322,000 Birmingham children, teenagers and young adults Labour leader announces plan to offer free bus travel to everyone under the age of 25
Liverpool Echo
- Merseyrail train timetable changes for the Grand National 2018 The Aintree festival will see thousands attend the three-day event, here is all you need to know about how to get there by train
London Evening Standard
- Jeremy Corbyn pledges free bus travel for those under 25People under 25 would have free bus travel under a Labour government in areas where services are brought under public ownership, Jeremy Corbyn will say.
- British Airways launches 'no frills' fare on long-haul flightsBritish Airways will launch a new "no frills" fare for hand-baggage only customers, the airline has announced.
The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)
- Urgent repairs close part of Glasgow to Fort William railway lineA gap in the track near Ardlui caused closure of the line from Crianlarich to Glasgow Queen Street, with Network Rail issuing engineers to the site to carry out repair works.
The York Press
- Coppergate bus lane cameras catch 4,300 motorists MORE than 4,300 drivers were caught using a city bus lane last year - costing them nearly 100,000 in penalty charges.
Wales Online
- Plans to be revealed for new M4 link road to the A48 in the Vale of Glamorgan There is also expected to be a new parkway railway station
Other Regional Press
- A new bus route to be launched connecting Bracknell and HeathrowA BRAND new bus route from Bracknell to Heathrow is soon to be introduced by Reading buses. The new Green Line 703 will run between Bracknell and the country's biggest airport hourly from May 8, as well as connecting the town with Windsor, Slough and Langley.
- MP Ranil Jayawardena's delight at rail service U-turnSOUTH Western Railway (SWR) plans to maintain vital services for residents living in North East Hampshire after a proposed change to the rail networks timetable.
- A new bus route to be launched connecting Bracknell and HeathrowA BRAND new bus route from Bracknell to Heathrow is soon to be introduced by Reading buses. The new Green Line 703 will run between Bracknell and the country's biggest airport hourly from May 8, as well as connecting the town with Windsor, Slough and Langley.
- Bus timetable means fewer services in Oxford - but passengers 'won't be put off'PASSENGERS will not be deterred from catching their usual bus because of timetable changes, according to a transport watchdog.
- Thousands back campaign as RAF and Oxford Airport make 'power grab' of the skiesTHOUSANDS of people have backed a campaign against plans to further control the skies over Oxfordshire.
- Thirty new electric vehicle charging points installed in SouthamptonSOUTHAMPTON has taken another step towards a carbon-free future with the installation of 30 new electric vehicle charging points in council-owned car parks. These are available to any car park customer and will be free for an ‘introductory period’, although the council has not specified how long this will be. These new chargers come as part of Southampton City Council’s Clean Air Strategy, which made a commitment to encourage the uptake of low emission technologies and vehicles. The counci
- GWR trains cancelled in Worcestershire because drivers had not been taught to operate themDELAYS and cancellations to train services have been slammed after Great Western Railway (GWR) admitted that many drivers are not trained to drive the new trains.
- New trains will be a huge boost to the town It has been reported that Northern is finalising the timetable for a new train service to Gainsborough Central, due to start in December.
Buying Business Travel
- Easyjet and Lufthansa submit new Alitalia bidsDecision could be made this month
- MAG expecting growth to continueStansted traffic boosted by business travel
Rail Technology Magazine
- NR takes over Guildford and Clapham Junction stations to aid redevelopment Network Rail has taken over Guildford and Clapham Junction stations in order to support the major upgrades planned for both structures as part of its wide-reaching Railway Upgrade Plan. Guildford station has had a £150m redevelopment approved by the planning inspectorate, and Network Rail...
- Investigation launched after train missed track workers by just 2 secondsThe Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has launched an investigation into a near-miss at Primrose Hill which left several people “very distressed.” The incident occurred last month between South Hampstead station and Primrose Hill tunnels on one of lines into London Euston...
- Siemens appoints new UK rolling stock bossSiemens has announced the appointment of Will Wilson as its new managing director for its rolling stock business. The appointment, which comes into effect on 1 May, will see Wilson replace the current managing director, Vernon Barker, who will leave the company at the end of the month. Wilson...
- GWR warns 1,000 customer accounts may have been breachedAround 1,000 Great Western Railway (GWR) customer accounts have been compromised and a warning email sent out to customers. GWR has today sent an email to all its online account holders, warning them to reset their password as a precaution, although it has offered reassurance that it believes...
Railnews
- District Line strike unnecessary says TfL A planned 24-hour strike on London Underground on Friday will reduce the frequency of trains on the District Line, Transport for London has warned. The walkout affects ASLEF drivers, and has been called as the result of London Undergrounds alleged failure to follow agreed policies and procedures when a recently qualified driver was apparently involved in at least one SPAD.
Aviation Industry
- EasyJet revises its Alitalia submissionUK LCC easyJet has revised its expression of interest in Italian flag carrier Alitalia, acting together with unnamed consortium partners. read more
- Qantas to sell catering operation to Emirates’ DnataQantas has struck a deal to spin off its catering division, as prospective purchaser Dnata looks to grow its presence in the Australian market and globally read more
- Lufthansa nominates Alexis von Hoensbroech to head Austrian Airlines The Lufthansa Group has selected Alexis von Hoensbroech for CEO of subsidiary Austrian Airlines as of Aug. 1, succeeding Kay Kratky, who will step down after three years in July when his contract ends. read more
- American eyes A321/737 cabin mods to begin this fall American Airlines is looking to start cabin modifications on about 200 Airbus A321s and 250 Boeing 737-800s starting this fall. read more
Other News Sources
- Jet2 expands at Leeds Bradford with new service and extra Boeing aircraft for Summer 19Travel company Jet2 is ramping up its Leeds Bradford operations with the launch of its biggest ever summer programme at the airport.
- Network Rail has awarded Balfour Beatty a 115m contract for the supply, operation and maintenance of tamping machines.The seven-year contract is for Balfour Beatty to make available its fleet of 13 track maintenance vehicles, known as on track machines or tampers, to Network Rail.
- March traffic figures show strong year-on-year growth on business routes from StanstedLondon Stansted welcomed over 1.98 million passengers during March, an increase of 5.8 per cent or 109,000 over the corresponding month last year and the busiest ever March at the airport, beating the previous high set in 2016.
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