Why TfL running London trains is actually a terrible idea for the capital January 21, 2016 Whenever something does not work properly, we demand a “fat controller” to sort it out – especially when it comes to trains. Sure, there are many aspects of our transport system that are grossly unsatisfactory, but, certain facts do stand out and they do not point in the direction of more state control of the [...]
London trains turning Overground orange will revolutionise the capital and commuters’ journeys January 21, 2016 The London Underground map is a design classic. But it has one major problem: there’s not enough orange – the colour of London Overground. And there’s not enough south London, which is a foreign land to most of the tube network. London’s suburban rail users – particularly in south London – are faced with a [...]
Everyone agrees TfL running London’s trains like the Overground is a brilliant idea January 21, 2016 It's pretty difficult to bring together political parties and several different parts of government and get them to agree, but now there's one thing that has – an apparent shared dislike of commuter trains into London. Nothing brings people together like a collective resentment towards train companies such as Southeastern, Southern and Thameslink, and now plans to [...]
London trains are about to become the Overground: Transport for London will take over running of commuter trains into capital from Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern January 21, 2016 London's rail services will be taken over by Transport for London (TfL) in an effort to improve services into the capital. The news comes after another evening of commuter misery which left thousands of commuters stranded at Liverpool Street Station. Trains operating within greater London will come under the control of TfL when the franchises [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith says he’s secured tighter rules for future Tube strikes January 21, 2016 Conservative candidate for mayor of London Zac Goldsmith today revealed that he has secured tighter rules to limit future Tube strikes. Goldsmith said that under new strike laws, all Transport for London (TfL) services will be considered “essential” and therefore require the support of 40 per cent of all eligible voters in a strike ballot. Goldsmith [...]
Tube strike 2016: Train drivers’ action over Night Tube set to be suspended January 20, 2016 Planned strikes by London Underground (LU) train drivers are set to be suspended, after progress was made in talks today between LU and the drivers' unions. Industrial action had been planned to begin on the evening of Tuesday 26 January, with further strikes to take place on Monday 15 February and Wednesday 17 February. Discussions between the parties [...]
The Uber, London taxi, TfL standoff is far from over as Boris Johnson calls for congestion charge exemption to be lifted January 20, 2016 Thought the fight was over? No sooner has one row over Uber been settled than another arises. The long-running dispute over how the startup is regulated by Transport for London, which has left London's black cab drivers rather sore, was finally ruled upon today. The new regulations were announced and a controversial five-minute wait rule – which even taxi drivers admitted was not viable – has [...]
Transport for London’s road boss Garrett Emmerson: This is why we ditched the five-minute rule (and are proposing 13 other changes) January 20, 2016 London’s minicab trade has fundamentally changed in recent years, with welcome advances in technology giving customers greater choice and convenience. However, partly as a result of this, the number of ‘private hire’ (PHV) drivers has also boomed, rising from 59,000 in 2009/10 to more than 95,000 today. To keep up with this transformation we recently [...]
Why Transport for London’s Uber plan to ignore the five-minute rule changes on PHVs is wrong-minded January 20, 2016 Following today’s announcement that the private hire (PHV) regulations review has been published and its recommendations watered down significantly, myself and the United Cabbies Group are disappointed that TfL never stood by their recommendations. It was TfL who wrote this document yet allowed lobbyists to derail some important and significant steps to ensuring both public safety and ensuring a level [...]
TfL’s Uber proposals met with disgust from London’s Black Cab trade January 20, 2016 Transport for London's proposals for regulating private hire vehicles (PHV) have been slammed by Black Cab campaigners, who claim they allow companies like Uber to continue to "ply for hire". TfL today revealed plans for a shake-up of the sub-sector, which will include rules stipulating that drivers have a good command of English – but [...]