Great British Railways confirmed: Body will take ‘politics out’ of sector, says Mark Harper February 7, 2023 Transport secretary Mark Harper has confirmed the creation of Great British Railways, saying the new public body will take “politics out of the railways”. “This is not Network Rail 2.0, nor a return to British Rail,” Harper told the sector as he delivered the annual George Bradshaw address earlier this evening. “Taking the politics out [...]
ULEZ expansion ‘not the answer’: Rebel boroughs Harrow and Bromley warn Khan of impact on ‘poorest and vulnerable’ February 7, 2023 Harrow and Bromley councils have responded to a letter from Sadiq Khan over the expansion of ULEZ, warning of its impact on the poorest. Harrow councillor Paul Osborn wrote to Khan earlier this week, reiterating that the expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to include the whole of Greater London was “not the answer” [...]
‘Guilt-free flying within our reach’ but still ‘decades away’ as government commits £113m to net-zero travel tech February 7, 2023 Guilt-free net-zero flying is within our reach according to the government, as ministers invest £113m in new net-zero technology. The DfT and BEIS have announced funding for aerospace companies such as Rolls-Royce and Bristol-based Vertical Aerospace to develop cutting-edge technologies, such as flying taxis and hydrogen-fuelled planes. Rolls-Royce will receive almost £83m to develop liquid [...]
Rail travel: Government halving the cost of single LNER fares in a move that will ‘unleash more competition, innovation and growth’ February 7, 2023 The government is set to halve the cost of single rail fares across the wider LNER rail network, as part of its plan to reform the UK’s railways. Transport secretary Mark Harper will announce an extension of single-leg pricing beyond the few LNER services that have trialled the ticketing system since 2020. The move will [...]
BA cancels 50 flights at Heathrow and London City TODAY as fog grounds airline February 7, 2023 British Airways has cancelled a raft of flights at London airports after a the thick layer of fog engulfed the capital. The legacy carrier has axed around 30 flights at Heathrow – between arrivals and departures – after a limit was imposed by air traffic control. While London City Airport was forced to ground or [...]
Nissan’s Sunderland plant could make Renault and Mitsubishi cars if factory is competitive, top exec says February 6, 2023 Nissan’s Sunderland plant could start producing Renault and Mitsubishi cars under the rebooted alliance between the Japanese and French car makers, but only if the factory is competitive, Nissan’s chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta said today. Gupta told journalists this afternoon that the move could happen depending on the factory’s competitiveness. “If Sunderland is competitive, [...]
UK losing out on £2bn a year by not taxing shipping pollution, green groups say February 6, 2023 The UK government is missing out on £2bn a year by not taxing shipping pollution, environmentalists say, if plans to extend the Emissions Trading Scheme to the sector are applied more broadly. Introduced by the UK government after Brexit, the ETS caps the amount of greenhouse gas emissions energy-intensive sectors – such as aviation and [...]
Sadiq Khan warns rebel boroughs against challenging ULEZ expansion February 6, 2023 Sadiq Khan has warned a number of rebel boroughs against challenging the London-wide expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, saying their case was “wholly without merit and misconceived.” Four Conservative boroughs sent a pre-action letter to Transport for London (TfL) on 13 January, challenging Khan’s decision to expand the ULEZ to Greater [...]
Car makers call for EV tax cuts in March Budget to help drive green transition February 6, 2023 Car makers have called on the UK government to implement a raft of tax cuts in the March Budget to help support the transition to electric vehicles. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said today that the upcoming budget – which will be announced on 15 March – is a good opportunity to [...]
Avanti not ‘out of the woods yet’ as contract renewal decision looms February 6, 2023 Avanti West Coast is not “out of the woods yet”, a top MP has warned, as the government decides whether to renew the operator’s contract. Rail minister Huw Merriman has said he will make a decision on Avanti’s contract soon, with the extension set to expire in April. Merriman said it will be based “on [...]
