HSBC isn’t leaving – but London can’t be complacent if it’s to stay the world’s best city for business February 16, 2016 No doubt there was much relief in the Treasury when HSBC announced that it will be keeping its international HQ in London. And the news gave everyone reassurance that London still has what it takes to house the headquarters – European or global – of international companies. Undoubtedly, centuries of stable, democratic government and the [...]
Winter storm on US east coast leads to thousands of flight cancellations, including from Newark Liberty International and JFK in New York, and Ronald Reagan Washington National February 15, 2016 Thousands of flights due to depart from US airports have been cancelled today because of poor weather, as the National Weather Service put winter storm warnings in place across much of the east coast. According the flight tracking website flightradar24.com, New York's Newark Liberty International Airport was one of the worst affected, with over half (51 per cent) of [...]
From Google’s tax row and the Black Cabs vs Uber to Storm Imogen and the bank bloodbath: Here’s what got us talking this week February 12, 2016 We saw what London would look like if all the skyscrapers being considered got built. A Shoreditch development is bringing history to centre Stage. And we learned how much the Night Tube delay has hurt house prices in central London. Here's what got us talking this week The banking sector is facing its toughest period since [...]
This alternative Tube map shows you the travel time from every station on the London Underground February 12, 2016 When reinventing the Tube map, why settle for half measures? A new version designed by developer Peter Trotman throws out Harry Beck’s iconic 1931 design entirely to create an interactive map based not on geography but travel times. The map distorts based on the time it takes to travel from the station you’re starting from. [...]
How was your commute? More than half of us arrive at work in a state thanks to the morning rush hour February 12, 2016 Back in the day, when you were still bright-eyed and dreaming of a fancy job in the City, a squashed and sweaty ride on the London Underground at the height of rush hour probably did not feature in your thoughts. But that's not the reality we live in. According to a survey run by powwownow.co.uk, more [...]
London cabbies not ’app-y over Uber’s offer of commission-free bookings February 11, 2016 London's black cabs have rebuffed private car hire app Uber’s offer of 12 months of commission-free bookings, with only the odd one or two hackney carriages available for hire via the app in the City over the past two days. Attempts by City A.M. to book a black cab through the app were fruitless with hours [...]
TfL Tube strike February 2016 update: RMT calls off London Underground maintenance workers’ strikes on Friday and Saturday 12 and 13 February – but more action is on the way February 10, 2016 The RMT union has called off a strike of Tube maintenance workers, planned to take place on Friday and Saturday. The strike, over what RMT called "basic safety issues", was set to last for 24 hours, from 6.30am on Friday. But today the union put out a statement saying it had received confirmation changes to [...]
Black Cab protest is already snarling up roads in central London including Whitehall as drivers demonstrate over TfL and private hire vehicles including Uber February 10, 2016 If you're planning on travelling through central London this afternoon, you might want to avoid roads – Black Cab drivers went out on protest earlier today and it's taking a while to clear. The protest was due to start at 2:30pm, but pictures and videos on social media showed that many cabbies had convened on [...]
Transport for London, Islington and Camden Councils open public consultation for King’s Cross gyratory to be overhauled as part of area regeneration February 10, 2016 King's Cross gyratory is poised to get a major facelift, with simplified roads and better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Transport for London, Islington and Camden Councils have published plans for a public consultation that they say will "transform the King’s Cross area". The improvement work is part of the mayor’s ongoing £4bn road modernisation plan. Proposals include creating [...]
Uber and other private hire firms want to act as taxis, but without the costs: This is why Black Cab drivers are protesting TfL’s private hire review today February 10, 2016 A taxi demonstration is being held in Whitehall today in protest at this government’s intervention in proposed changes and updates to the private hire act 1998. Many proposals were both sensible and in the public interest. One of the changes was that any “app” may not display the whereabouts of an available vehicle in law this [...]