Tfl signs contract to bring new, air-conditioned trains to London Overground July 1, 2015 In today's extreme heat, the prospect of feeling cool on London transport seems too good to be true. Read more: TfL wants businesses to pitch "something exceptional" to transform its disused Down Street Tube station But thanks to a new contract signed by TfL, from 2018 some London overground trains will be blasting out [...]
RMT and TSSA workers vote to strike over Night Tube June 30, 2015 Workers for transport unions RMT and TSSA have voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of strike action over the Night Tube. Nearly 92 per cent of members voted in favour of strike action over both London Underground pay and the transition to running the Tube night. Some 96.5 per cent voted for action short of a [...]
Taxi protest shuts down more London roads as black cab drivers block TfL office over Uber regulation June 30, 2015 It's becoming something of a familiar site: yet another taxi protest has brought London streets to a standstill. Yet again the black cab drivers are protesting outside TfL's offices, meaning that areas around from Blackfriars Bridge, stretching as far as Waterloo, are jammed. https://twitter.com/AndrewNickolls/status/615881341821931520 Cabbies are demonstrating against what they see as [...]
More chaos at St Pancras: Eurostar and Le Shuttle trains suspended for the second time in a week as more protests in Calais halt channel tunnel services June 30, 2015 Eurostar and Le Shuttle services through the Channel Tunnel suspended after striking French workers blocked railway tracks into the Channel Tunnel entrance with burning tyres. Read more: Eurostar services suspended The British government has warned passengers on both sides of the Channel to "check with their chosen operator before they travel" after striking employees at My [...]
London weather: Network Rail imposing speed restrictions as UK heatwave raises chance of buckling tracks June 30, 2015 Network Rail may be suffering from a corporate meltdown, but it turns out the train group is worried about a different kind of overheating as the mercury rises. The UK is expected to see a heatwave this week, with temperatures soaring into the mid-to-high 30s, with the Met Office forecasting a peak tomorrow, when [...]
South London commuter misery as Kennington “river” and Elephant & Castle roadworks combine to create travel chaos June 30, 2015 South London commuters faced another morning of misery as yesterday's burst water main in Kennington and ongoing road works combined to create travel chaos. Routes around Stockwell, Vauxhall, Elephant & Castle, Camberwell, Peckham, Borough and – of course – Kennington itself have been “curtailed”, TfL said. https://twitter.com/TfLTrafficNews/status/615784044253478912 Those buses that did make [...]
TfL shortlists four train operators to run London Overground June 29, 2015 Transport for London (TfL) has announced a shortlist of four train operators to run London Overground services from next year. Arriva Rail, LoKeGo (the snappily-titled joint venture between Keolis and Go-Ahead), Metroline and MTR are all in the running to take over the routes, which includes routes between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town, Cheshunt and [...]
Fire crews called in after burst water main creates “river” in Kennington, TfL warns of severe delays to buses across south London June 29, 2015 Update: Around 15 properties have been flooded by the burst water main in Kennington, south London, which has been finally been brought under control. But that hasn't stopped travel disruption, with TfL warning that bus routes and drivers were still being caught in severe delays throughout Vauxhall, Pimlico, Stockwell, Camberwell, Old Kent Road, Elephant [...]
Why we should mobilise public land to tackle London’s housing crisis June 28, 2015 A starter for ten. How much of the land in the London Borough of Southwark is owned by Southwark Council? 10 per cent? 20 per cent? More? Answer: 43 per cent, including, astonishingly, 10,000 garages, most of them part of council housing estates built in the 1960s and 1970s. Southwark Council is not exceptional. London’s [...]
From Tesco and the Northern Powerhouse to self-control and politeness: Here’s what got us talking this week June 26, 2015 There was a shocking attack in France. In Brussels, deadlines came and went and came (again). And somewhere in social media land, Taylor Swift became the Queen of everything, including Apple. Here's what got us talking this week 1) When it comes to happiness, south London is best Yup, if you're among the [...]