From concrete diamonds to timing: Here are seven things you can expect from Crossrail construction in the year ahead? January 29, 2016 Crossrail has been little more than an annoyance for passengers over the past few years, but as the 2018 deadline draws closer it’s all starting to feel a bit real. So what can you expect from Crossrail in the year ahead? 1. It’s being delivered on schedule No, really. As of now, the project is [...]
From Tesco and the death of the Defender to MBAs and Donald Trump: Here’s what got us talking this week January 29, 2016 HSBC celebrated the first pay day since Christmas by going offline (again). We learned that there are just 12 special words in every job interview. And everyone who wasn't 29 years old questioned this study. Here's what got us talking 1) You're not imagining it Yes, it's true: those commuting into London really do have it the [...]
Train delays and commuter frustration: How train operators can get customer service back on track January 29, 2016 At a time when rail delays, disruptions and the rising cost of travel are rarely out of the press, pressure is understandably mounting on rail operators to improve the quality of service for commuters. This is no truer than in the capital, with three train firms serving London named amongst the worst in Britain for customer satisfaction earlier [...]
London’s first driverless cars will be trialled this summer as Heathrow’s autonomous “pods” hit the streets of Greenwich January 29, 2016 Forget Google and its Californian experiments – driverless cars are about to come a lot closer to home, after a project announced plans to trial autonomous vehicles in Greenwich this summer. The Gateway project said three British companies – Westfield Sportscars, Heathrow Enterprises and Oxbotica – will work together to develop "pods" based on the ones [...]
Mayor of London Boris Johnson accused of “cover up” over Garden Bridge meeting January 29, 2016 The Mayor of London has been accused of misleading the London Assembly over the controversial Garden Bridge, amid claims he targeted Apple for corporate sponsorship before the scheme had even received backing. According to trade magazine Architects' Journal, which has been running a series of exposes on the matter, Boris Johnson and Garden Bridge designer Thomas Heatherwick travelled [...]
Thank rail companies when trains run on time, says Sussex MP Huw Merriman January 28, 2016 Commuters should be taking the time to say thank you to the rail companies when they manage to get train services running on time, which they do "most days", a Sussex MP has said. Thousands of passengers may beg to differ, but speaking in the Commons today, MP for Bexhill and Battle Huw Merriman said: "This morning [...]
Southeastern cancels Ashford to London trains after engineering works overrun January 28, 2016 Commuters travelling into London from Kent were faced with major disruption this morning, after Southeastern cancelled a series of trains because of overrunning engineering works. Services from Maidstone, Ashford and Canterbury into London Victoria were delayed by as much as two hours, and some of them cancelled outright. Engineering works meant the line did not open until nearly [...]
Britain’s worst trains: London’s passengers are the unhappiest as Thameslink, Southeastern and Southern trains voted worst for customer satisfaction January 27, 2016 Commute into London? Feel like it's the worst journey in the world? Quite possibly, you're right. Thameslink, Southeastern and Southern have been voted the worst train companies in the UK, with passengers on their services the least satisfied in the country, after being rated on everything from how much room there is to stand and how helpful [...]
Will there be a Night Tube launch in 2016? London’s 24-hour underground service could be delayed until after the mayoral election January 27, 2016 May could be the earliest we see a Night Tube running in London, as unions have warned the 24-hour service could be delayed until after the mayoral election. Hotly anticipated by Londoners and debated by Transport for London (TfL) and unions, the weekend night services were announced 18 months ago, but their launch has been [...]
Forget speed bumps and cycle lanes: Why Britain’s roads should be more like ice rinks January 26, 2016 Over the festive period, many of you would have ventured to Somerset House or Winter Wonderland to ice-skate. Taking to the rink, you would have seen children skating for the first time while clasping their parent’s hand, as other adults whizzed round at high speed. Each individual, including you, moved at their own speed, judging [...]