Unite Slams Boris Johnson’s Plans for London Buses as ‘Ludicrous’

September 30th, 2009 LONDON - Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer, said: "This agreement is a smoke screen designed to deflect criticism away from those who brought our banking system to its knees. The industry remains over populated with the greedy, arrogant and corrupt.

September 8th, 2009 LONDON - Diageo's announcement today (Wednesday 9th September) to reject proposals by the Scottish Government that would safeguard jobs has outraged Unite, the UK's biggest union. Unite is also furious that Diageo has made the announcement before the conclusion of the 90-day consultation period.

August 25th, 2009 LONDON - Unite, Britain's biggest union, has today (26th August) welcomed the Government's plans to appoint a Chief Adviser on construction. The Chief Adviser will have responsibility for strategy and equipping Britain's construction industry with the necessary skills and knowledge to compete in the 21st century.

July 10th, 2009 LONDON - Chaos for passengers has been narrowly averted at one of the world's busiest airports thanks to the intervention of Unite, the UK's biggest union. Unite had been pressing Heathrow's management at the British Airport Authority (BAA) to withdraw their plans to introduce two private hire concessions in the terminal car parks.

July 1st, 2009 LONDON - Unite, the UK's largest union, is astonished that many London buses are so inadequately maintained they can not turn off the heating during the summer meaning temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius on some buses, making it hotter than Dubai. Unite has been pressing the employers to ensure that air conditioning is fitted into the cabs of all the buses for many years.

April 26th, 2009 LONDON - Mayor Boris Johnson will outline his commitment to boosting the economic potential of London's outer boroughs in a keynote address at Property Week's Outer London Summit on 11th June 2009. He will reveal how outer London can play its full part in the city's economic success and bolster the capital's economic strength for generations to come.

April 7th, 2009 LONDON - Unite, one of the former sponsors of the Rise anti-racism festival, has today (Wednesday), slammed London Mayor Boris Johnson for his short-sighted and hasty decision to cancel the event on the basis of what he deemed to be a lack of 'major sponsorship'. Unite regional secretary, Steve Hart, said: "Unite was never approached by the London Mayor, or by any of his staff in the run-up to this decision.

April 1st, 2009 LONDON - Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: "The announcement by Aviva to cut 1,100 staff will cause alarm across the insurance industry. Today we see a scenario where a company that is continuing to deliver positive results is slashing the staff that have enabled them to weather the current financial storm.

March 12th, 2009 LONDON - Unite, the UK's biggest civil air transport union, welcomes the announcement today (Friday) from the High Court that the challenge to the expansion of Stansted airport has been suspended. Steve Turner, Unite National Officer, said: "We are delighted at this decision today and hope we can now move on and develop an expansion programme at Stansted airport.

March 10th, 2009 LONDON - Unite, the UK's biggest civil air transport union, is balloting its members working at Manchester Airport for industrial action in a dispute over restructuring which has resulted in job cuts, pay cuts and the introduction of an unpopular shift pattern. Over 100 Swissport ground handling staff at the airport, including baggage handlers and ramp operatives, will receive ballot papers this weekend.

January 23rd, 2009 LONDON - British singer Lily Allen slams a few of her ex-boyfriends in her new album 'It's Not Me It's You'. Mirror.co.uk reports that in the song 'Knock Back' she sings: 'You're really mean, you're supposed to care, that you never made me scream...

June 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - American pornographic actress Stormy Daniels has revealed that her running for the Louisiana Senate seat next year sounds 'ludicrous' even to her. Daniels, 30, said that she was still undecided whether to challenge Sen.

May 5th, 2009 LONDON - Football ace striker Cristiano Ronaldo is buying a red double-decker bus to impress his nieces and nephews. The Manchester United winger marvels at the London buses when he's with his team in the capital.

December 25th, 2008 NEW DELHI - The Delhi government Friday said 100 Blueline buses, termed as 'killer' buses for causing a large number of deaths on the city's roads, would be phased out every month starting from March next year. The government will eventually phase out all Blueline buses, said Delhi Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.

June 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government Monday gave the go ahead to Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to purchase 1,000 semi-low floor buses. The cabinet has given its nod for purchase of 1,000 semi-low floor buses to DTC to enable it to strengthen its city fleet.

February 18th, 2009 CHENNAI - India's second largest commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland will supply 500 more buses to Angola by March-end, taking the total order to 1,000 vehicles valued at $43.5 million, it said Thursday. According to the company, the order for the supply of an additional 500 mini buses - 50 being air-conditioned - was bagged last month.

February 5th, 2009 AHMEDABAD - The Gujarat State Road Transport Corp will buy 1,500 Volvo AC buses to attract more passengers, an official said here Friday. The new buses, adding to the existing fleet of 7,300 buses, will cover more routes, said GSRTC secretary P.D.

January 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Friday clarified that there was no shortage of compressed natural gas (CNG) and it had run 100 more buses than usual. 'There is no shortage of CNG supply for our buses.

December 25th, 2008 NEW DELHI - As the Delhi government announced it would phase out 100 Blueline buses every month starting from March next year, the authorities Friday impounded over 150 of these privately-owned buses and cancelled their licences. The Delhi Police spokesperson said permits of 158 Blueline buses were cancelled for flouting norms.

June 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Delhi Government has decided to start phasing out of Blueline buses from July onwards by replacing them with modern buses over a period of next five months. The Shiela Dikshit-led Delhi Government had announced last year that it would phase out the buses since witnessing a big public outcry over Blueline buses after being blamed to be involved in a number of road accidents involving several deaths.