Latest news with #HeidiAlexander
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
London-Berlin by direct train: minister says ‘yes', expert says ‘no'
'Working with Germany, we're building bridges between our people and paving the way for a more sustainable, connected future,' said the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. She was announcing a plan for a direct train between London and Berlin. 'A new task force will bring our nations closer together and create new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange,' the minister said. A laudable aim – but how feasible is it? Over to Mark Smith, the international rail guru who founded The Man in Seat 61 website. After years of experience as a front-line railwayman, he has devoted the past 24 years to encouraging and empowering people to switch from planes to trains. He (like me) desperately wants rail to succeed. You might expect Mr Smith to welcome the government's vision. But, he says bluntly: 'I don't think we'll see a direct London-Berlin train.' Thousands of people fly between the English and German capitals each day. From the 6.40am departure from Gatwick on easyJet to Ryanair 's 10.10pm arrival at Stansted, there are 17 flights each way, each day. That represents 5,400 passengers – the equivalent of three round-trips by rail. History shows that when capacity is added to an intercity link, the number of travellers increases. And Mark Smith is convinced 'the demand is there' for a London-Berlin link. He cites the new direct daytime express between Paris and the German capital. 'This eight-hour journey leaves heavily booked,' he says. 'Up to 75 per cent of tickets are for the whole eight-hour journey.' London to Berlin would take around nine hours, routed via Brussels and Cologne. With a journey only 60 minutes longer than the trip from Paris, and London being a much bigger travel hub than the French capital, it is fair to assume that much the same would apply. But the problem, says the Seat 61 founder, isn't demand – it's financial viability. The Paris-Berlin train stops in Strasbourg, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt, and is allowed to convey passengers between all those cities. Under present security and immigration rules, that would not be possible for international trains to and from London. In addition, a EU-UK border would be needed in Berlin – together with a serious, semi-airline security check. 'That French train doesn't need to pay all the UK border and security costs, and can happily carry passengers between intermediate stations as well as end to end,' says Mark Smith. 'With staff costs, track access costs, and rolling stock costs for London-Berlin being effectively double that for London-Cologne-Frankfurt, I can't see it being viable.' He estimates the proportion of high-spending business travellers on a London-Berlin run as close to zero – compared with perhaps 15 per cent on 'an airline-competitive four- or five-hour trip from London to Cologne or Frankfurt'. Eurostar says it aims to start running Anglo-German trains to Cologne and Frankfurt by 'the early 2030s'. Even among budget-focused travellers it is difficult to see London-Berlin succeeding – because the airline industry is so effective at offering cheap deals. Looking ahead to Monday 1 September, the first day back at work for lots of people, Ryanair wants £25 for its 1h45m flight from Stansted to Berlin. The lowest one-way rail fare (involving multiple changes) is £350. That's 14 times as much. The air fare looks too cheap, the train ticket way too expensive. But even in the course of a decade, I can't see that gap narrowing to the point where those London-Berlin trains become competitive. I hope I am proved wrong.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
5 EVs likely eligible for new Electric Car Grant of up to £3,750
The Government has reintroduced grants to slash the price of some new electric cars as part of its efforts to boost sales before the end of the decade. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has unveiled Labour's £650million Electric Car Grant, which comes three years after the previous Tory regime scrapped its own plug-in car grant. The Department for Transport confirms only fully electric models priced at £37,000 or less are eligible for the new grants of up to £3,750, with funding confirmed up until 2028-29. However, there are a number of caveats. Firstly, the scheme will not immediately be available, despite officially launching on Wednesday 16 July. That's because manufacturers need to apply for eligibility for vehicles in their ranges, rather than buyers registering grants at the point of purchase. And not all grants will have a value of £3,750. There will be a two-tier approach to the value deducted from the recommended retail price (RRP), which is determined by how green the manufacturing process is for each different model. The RAC says the grant's restrictions mean drivers will be 'picking models that are not only better for their wallets, but better for the planet too'. We've picked five of the best EVs that are certain to be eligible for the grant - though we will have to wait to find out which will qualify for the full subsidy amount of £3,750. What is the Electric Car Grant? The Electric Car Grant (ECG) is the Government's new big hope to drive sales of EVs in the run-up to the end of the decade as it continues to steer towards outlawing the availability of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. It arrives three years after the previous Tory administration prematurely scrapped its Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG), which it launched in 2011. Over its 11-year spell, the PiCG amount was gradually wound down; having originally offered to slash the price of any new EV or plug-in hybrid by £5,000 in 2011, by the time the scheme was closed in June 2022 only fully-electric cars below £32,000 were eligible, and the amount knocked off the RRP just £1,500. That said, the scheme proved incredibly successful. It provided more than £1.4billion to motorists to support purchases of nearly half a million electric and hybrid vehicles in that period, in which it was widely responsible for encouraging early adoption of electrified cars. The new ECG will hope to reignite electric car demand among private buyers with the same level of impact after months of stagnating sales. It will be supported by a £650million backing from the Government that will be available for the next three years. However, funding will remain under review, with the scheme subject to amendments or an 'early closure with no notice' should the pot of available money 'become exhausted', the DfT clarified. Only cars up to £37,000 qualify for the grant, which rules out premium models, including every Tesla on sale. No Audi, BMW or Mercedes EV will be eligible either. The Government's hope is that by making the most financially attainable EVs even more affordable, it will make switching more appealing to private buyers rather than just those who lease more expensive EVs or acquire them as company cars or through salary sacrifice schemes. Some 50 existing models are technically eligible for the grants solely based on their starting price. We've listed these below. However, there are a number of electric cars that are just over the £37,000 threshold and manufacturers are likely to review whether to lower the RRPs on these models in order to qualify. How does the Electric Car Grant work? Unlike the PiCG, buyers will not be allocated the grant amount at the point of purchase. Instead, manufacturers must apply to be eligible for the scheme with their sub-£37,000 cars on a 'first come, first served' basis. This means that motorists will not need to fill in any additional paperwork to receive the grant, with all administration handled by the car maker, dealership, and the Government. But because manufacturers must apply for the scheme, it may take weeks for discounted EVs to begin appearing in showrooms, experts say. The new scheme will also differ from the PiCG in that it is a two-tier approach based on 'sustainability criteria'. Only the greenest models - considered 'band one' - receiving the full £3,750 amount. Band two cars with a lower eco rating will be eligible for a reduced amount as low as £1,500. Bands are determined by each maker's Science-Based Target (SBT) - an industry-wide scheme, with manufacturers needing to meet carbon scores below a specific criterion to achieve the highest green standard. Volkswagen and Renault Group have both confirmed they are signed up with the SBT scheme. ECG bands - which could later expand beyond two tiers - will be determined by how much CO2 is emitted in an EV's production, assessing the energy used during assembly as well as battery manufacturing. An overall SBT score is weighted 70 per cent for the CO2 produced during battery manufacturing and 30 per cent for vehicle assembly emissions. Threshold levels to achieve the full £3,750 discount or the lower banded £1,500 have yet to be made public. However, vehicles that don't meet a minimum level will not receive a grant at all. This could be bad news for Chinese EV makers , which currently offer some of the most competitive prices but could fall foul of the emissions-based rules. Speaking on the BBC's Today programme on Wednesday (16 July), Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said she did not expect any cars that are produced in China to be eligible. 'The grant is restricted to those manufacturers that reach minimum environmental standards,' she said. 'And, frankly, if you generate a lot of the electricity that powers your factory through coal power stations, then you are not going to be able to access this grant.' According to The Telegraph , the Chinese embassy has hit hack and the scheme's stringent requirements. It has called on the UK to follow World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and create a 'non-discriminatory environment for investment'. WTO rules stipulate that members must not give favourable treatment to one country over another when it comes to trading goods and services. An embassy spokesperson added: 'The Chinese side is closely following the situation and will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.' China's - and the world's - biggest EV maker, BYD, has informed the DfT of its intention to apply for eligibility for the Electric Car Grant and said it looks forward to being 'part of it'. According to early reports, British-built EVs were said to qualify for band one in support of UK car makers. However, the DfT has said this will not be the case and that 'all products are assessed under the same framework'. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed the ECG's availability on Monday night, saying: 'The EV grant will not only allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money - it'll help our automotive sector seize one of the biggest opportunities of the 21st century.' On Sunday, Alexander admitted she has not been able to afford an electric car as she hinted towards the introduction of new subsidies. The Cabinet minister - who earns around £160,000 - said she had not purchased a vehicle for about six years as it was 'expensive'. Car industry welcomes EV purchase incentive The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which has been campaigning for new EV purchase incentives to be launched since the PiCG was closed three years ago, said the grant is a 'clear signal to consumers that now is the time to switch'. Mike Hawes, its chief executive, said: 'Rapid deployment and availability of this grant over the next few years will help provide the momentum that is essential to take the EV market from just one in four today, to four in five by the end of the decade. 'This announcement is a welcome response to consistent calls from the industry for more support, which will be in addition to the substantive subsidies already provided by manufacturers.' Simon Williams, head of road policy at the RAC, described the grant as 'just the shot-in-the arm needed to help more drivers go electric'. He added: 'Within weeks, discounted cars should start appearing at dealerships across the country. 'And, as the biggest savings will be given to cars with the strongest 'green' manufacturing credentials, drivers will be picking models that are not only better for their wallets, but better for the planet too.' Ford UK's managing director Lisa Brankin said the introduction of the ECG will slash the price of its new Puma Gen-E model. 'Today's confirmation of customer grants – reducing the cost of sub-£37k electric cars by up to £3,750 – is great news for UK drivers and will make purchasing an electric vehicle much more affordable,' she told This is Money. 'Ford applauds the UK government for taking this step. We have been on the frontline of the conversation, highlighting the urgent need for consumer-based incentives for electric vehicles, and now they have arrived. 'Ford Puma is the best-selling car in the UK and the government grant will help make the all-electric Puma Gen-E even more affordable.' Renault's managing director, Adam Wood, called the grants a 'much-needed signal that Government is ready to put tangible action behind the ambitious plans for the transition to electric vehicles that it has outlined'. Five of the best EVs likely eligible for the grant While any battery electric car with an RRP of £37,000 or below will be eligible for the grant, we will have to wait for manufacturers to apply for the grant before finding out which vehicles qualify - and which band and subsidy amount they will be categorised. However, here is a list of five of the best EVs on sale currently that are available for less than £37,000 - and should become cheaper to buy within a matter of weeks. Below, we have listed them with the potential start price if they are to qualify as band one and the full £3,750 grant allowance. 1. Renault 5 E-Tech - from £19,245 Current price from: £22,995. Versions under £37k: all. Range: up to 250 miles. The Renault 5 E-Tech is a reborn version of the legendary eighties model with battery power - and it has proved a huge success for the French manufacturer since it arrived in Britain earlier this year. Impressive driving characteristics, a premium feel to the cabin, and a more than adequate range of between 190 to 250 miles earned it the worthy title of European Car of the Year Award for 2025. With a starting price of £23,000 and even the top-spec Roland Garros version ringing in at less than £30,000, every version should be eligible for the grant. The 5 has been the best-selling EV in the UK retail sector in the months of April and May, so this is certainly one of the cars the grant is aimed at. 2. Nissan Leaf - from circa £26,250 Current price from: circa £30,000. Versions under £37k: TBC. Range: up to 375 miles. An all-new Nissan Leaf is due to hit showrooms this year. And, given it's the only mass-market EV produced in the UK [ since assembly of the Mini EV moved to China ] at the Sunderland plant in the Northeast, the Japanese brand will be hoping to meet the requirements to secure the full £3,750 'band one' grant allowance. Unlike the outgoing Leaf hatchback, the new model is a crossover with a jacked-up ride height and bulkier styling. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but bosses have hinted it will start from around £30,000. Even mid-to-top spec models are likely to sit below the grant's £37,000 threshold. Two battery options will be available from launch in 2025: a smaller - and cheaper - 52kWh unit offering up to 270 miles of range on a single charge and a larger 75kWh battery which ups the distance to 375 miles. 3. Citroen e-C3 - from £18,345 Current price from: £22,095. Versions under £37k: all. Range: up to 199 miles. There are plenty of compact EV options that should qualify for the ECG criteria, including the Dacia Spring (from £14,995) and Hyundai Inster (from £23,505). But our pick of the most attainably priced electric cars is Citroen's new e-C3 , which start from £22,095. With a range of up to 199 miles, an existing starting price a little over £22,000, and enough room for five adults, this practical and comfortable electric supermini could become even more affordable if it qualifies for the full ECG amount. Even the entry-spec models get a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while higher trim levels - all of them falling well below the grant's £37,000 ceiling - have heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a reversing camera. 4. Kia EV3 - from £29,255 Current price from: £33,005. Versions under £37k: EV3 Air. Range: up to 375 miles. Kia's latest - and smallest - model, the new EV3 , looks set to steal a march on rivals in the most competitive segment of all. With every brand on the planet seemingly offering a compact SUV, Kia's EV3 is our choice of the bunch exclusively with battery power. The entry 'Air' specification sits under the £37,000 ECG threshold with the choice of either the 58.3kWh or 81.4kWh battery. While the smaller battery model (starting from £33,005) offers a range up to 254 miles, the £36,005 Air with the Long Range 81.4kWh battery providing up to 375 miles on a single charge. Produced in Slovakia, it has a very good chance of meeting the DfT sustainable manufacturing criteria to be eligible for the grants. 5. Skoda Elroq - from £27,760 Current price from: £31,510. Versions under £37k: Elroq SE, SE-L and Edition. Range: up to 266 miles. For family car buyers, Skoda's Elroq is another quality option. And with three trims in its range likely to qualify for the ECG, a discount of up to £3,750 could make it compelling option. It's roomy, well-equipped and has that robust Volkswagen Group build quality. While not the most entertaining to drive, it's excellent value against comparable rivals. The entry Elroq SE with a 52kWh battery is the cheapest from £31,510, though this provides a maximum range of up to only 233 miles. The SE-L 60 and Edition 60 with the bigger 59kWh offer up to 266 miles and both sit below the grant's £37,000 cut-off for eligibility. Unfortunately, the larger 77kWh battery versions are all over the ECG's price threshold.
Metro
2 days ago
- General
- Metro
Major disruption at London Waterloo to last well beyond afternoon rush hour
Heavy disruption to trains at London Waterloo will continue far beyond the early evening rush hour, National Rail has announced. Passengers were warned to stay away from the station, the fourth-busiest in the UK, this morning due to a major signalling failure. Heavy disruption now expected to last until 9pm, the railway body said in a social media post. South Western Railway said equipment that routes trains in and out of Waterloo had failed, meaning they could not use platforms one to 14. There are 24 platforms at the south London station, more than any other station in the country. A statement from the nationalised operator said: 'Engineers are on site attempting to restore the use of the platforms, but with very few trains able to move in and out of London Waterloo and trains and crew already displaced, services across the network are severely disrupted.' Trains leaving later in the day are 'likely to be subject to delays and alterations', though some trains are expected to run, it added. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in a post on X that signalling was restored this morning, but added: 'It will take time to get trains and crew back in the right place.' Mike Egleton, whose train home to Petersfield in East Hampshire was cancelled this morning, said the disruption 'seems to be one of those things that happens more and more in this country'. The 60-year-old told Metro: 'We've had a busy weekend, we just want to get home and relax now.' He said he may be forced to take an alternative route back through Chichester, which would add 'two to three hours' to the journey. Annabelle Clayton-Doyle, a 17-year-old student, told Metro she had been waiting for two hours to catch a train to Wareham where she is taking on her Duke of Edinburgh award. She said: 'If we don't do it, we won't qualify, but I suppose if we arrive late then we'll miss time to get to know everyone else who's doing it with us.' Services at Waterloo underground station were unaffected by the issues. According to National Rail, the signalling issues were first reported just after 5.30am. How can I get around while avoiding Waterloo? Any unused tickets valid for today will also be valid for travel tomorrow due to the 'level of disruption', National Rail said. The body has also outlined a number of train routes that can be used with the same ticket today: CrossCountry between Reading and Bournemouth Great Western Railway between Guildford and Reading; London Paddington and Exeter St Davids; Basingstoke and Reading; Salisbury and Westbury; and Weymouth and Westbury Southern between Portsmouth Harbour and London Victoria; Southampton Central and Havant; and Dorking and London Victoria London Underground from Waterloo to Wimbledon/Richmond; London Paddington; and London Victoria A number of bus services are also accepting tickets: Falcon Buses 28 between Guildford – Worplesdon – Brookwood – Woking Falcon Buses 436 between Woking – West Byfleet – Byfleet & New Haw – Weybridge Falcon Buses 514 and 515 between Kingston – Surbiton – Thames Ditton – Esher – Hersham – Walton-on-Thames – Weybridge Falcon Buses 456 between Staines – Chertsey – Addlestone – West Byfleet – Woking Falcon Buses 479 between Guildford – Clandon – Horsley – Effingham Village – Bookham – Leatherhead – Ashtead – Epsom Falcon Buses 408 between Cobham – Oxshott – Leatherhead – Ashtead – Epsom London Buses between, London Waterloo – Clapham Junction – Wimbledon – Subiton – Kingston – Hampton Court – Weybridge – Epsom – Shepperton Morebus M1 and M2 between Bournemouth – Branksome – Parkstone – Poole Morebus 8 and 9 between Poole and Hamworthy Morebus 16 and 17 between Bournemouth – Branksome – Parkstone – Poole Morebus 20 between Bournemouth – Branksome – Parkstone – Poole Morebus N1 & N2 between Christchurch – Bournemouth – Poole Morebus 30 between Wareham – Wool – Dorchester – Weymouth Morebus 40 between Poole and Wareham Stagecoach South 34 between Guildford and Woking Stagecoach South 35 between Guildford and Woking
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Rachel Reeves set to reject introducing wealth tax
The Chancellor has come under renewed pressure to levy a new tax on the savings, investments and property of the wealthy and in recent weeks senior Labour figures have refused to rule out the prospect. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander refused to be drawn on the issue earlier this month by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, while Keir Starmer also declined to rule out the measure at PMQs after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of "flirting" with the idea. But Cabinet ministers have reportedly told The Times that a wealth tax is a 'non-starter', alleging wealthy people would simply leave the UK because of it. 'Wealth taxes don't work,' one cabinet minister said. 'Just look at what's happened in other countries that have introduced them. They just don't raise money, certainly not the kind of money that we're looking for.' READ MORE: Labour launch review into raising retirement age Another cabinet minister said a wealth tax was 'off the table'. They said: 'Wealthy people are mobile, they can move their assets to other more favourable jurisdictions.' Another government source did say though that Reeves is reluctant to rule out a wealth tax publicly. They said that other options, such as increasing capital gains tax, remain under consideration. Reeves is preparing to raise taxes in the Autumn Budget after the Government was forced by Labour MPs to abandon welfare cuts and partially reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment. The U-turn on both policies is expected to cost more than £6 billion. The Office for Budget Responsibility, the official forecaster, is also expected to downgrade Britain's growth prospects. Earlier this month ex-Labour leader Neil Kinnock suggested Reeves should bring in a wealth tax, alongside ex-Welsh Labour leader Mark Drakeford. Kinnock claimed it could bring in as much as £11bn for the Treasury. READ MORE: Zarah Sultana calls out 'racist' cartoon in Observer Eight nations have introduced wealth taxes but have subsequently scrapped them including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Sweden and France. However, four countries have retained wealth taxes in Norway, Spain, Switzerland and Colombia. The Chancellor has little wriggle room in the Autumn Budget because of Labour's manifesto pledge not to increase taxes on 'working people', encompassing income tax, VAT and National Insurance. Reeves was accused of breaching the pledge last year when she increased employers' National Insurance contributions to raise £24 billion.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Resurrect HS2 northern leg to boost rail freight capacity, say UK manufacturers
Manufacturers will press ministers today to resurrect plans for a high-speed rail line reaching Leeds and Manchester as part of a large strategic investment to get lorries off Britain's roads and cut emissions. Business lobby group Make UK and Barclays Corporate Bank said research showed companies believe the move would significantly increase passenger numbers and free up capacity for rail freight on existing lines. A survey of 200 manufacturers showed that nine in 10 believe the original high-speed rail line HS2 should still go ahead, while a similar number said there should be greater investment in faster connections between Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle. HS2 has suffered huge cost overruns and is being overhauled under new management. The transport minister, Heidi Alexander, said this year that problems with the line would delay its opening beyond 2033. Many of Labour's regional mayors support moves to extend the line to Manchester to boost economic growth across the north of England. However, Keir Starmer, the prime minister, has indicated there is little cash available to extend HS2, even under 'HS2-lite' plans that would have allowed for more capacity north of Birmingham. Verity Davidge, the director of policy at Make UK, said: 'It's clear that the current levels of rail capacity aren't suitable for the levels of freight traffic the government is predicting in the future. 'As a result, if industry is to make greater use of rail then we need the extra capacity which a high-speed link for passenger traffic would free up. 'This would provide a valuable opportunity to invest in multi-mode hubs which would improve connectivity between our major ports and better integrate road and rail routes through the spine of the country.' Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The survey found that road is overwhelmingly the main mode of transport for nine in 10 manufacturers, with six in 10 regarding road investment as critical for their just-in-time operations. This compares with just under half (46%) for investment in ports and just under four in 10 for rail. Lee Collinson, the head of manufacturing, transport and logistics at Barclays UK Corporate Bank, said: 'Upgrading and integrating our road, rail and port systems is crucial for boosting productivity, decarbonising transport and supporting long-term competitiveness.'
