Are you travelling with the UK’s sorriest train company? December 13, 2016 As travellers commuting to the capital are thwarted by the worst strikes in decades, Southern is certainly the most hated train company right now. But what about the sorriest? And we don't just mean the weary passengers putting up with one thing after another when it comes to disruption. One genius (that name thoroughly deserved, you'll learn) [...]
Southern strike: The funniest tweets from miserable commuters December 13, 2016 Commuters heaved a collected sigh of misery today as workers on Southern rail kicked off two weeks of strikes. Such is the chaos on the network, bosses at Southern have implored passengers not to travel. But, seeing as most commuters have jobs to get to, many adopted a Blitz spirit and soldiered on through the chaos [...]
Travel chaos in London this morning as Victoria Line delays lead to massive crowds at several stations December 13, 2016 London commuters are facing chaotic journeys to work this morning, with delays across the Tube network and stations hit by huge crowds. Severe disruption on the Victoria Line has led to station access being restricted due to overcrowding fears. There are severe delays at Seven Sisters station, with 25-minute queues reported. Queues at Seven Sisters [...]
Southern rail strike will go ahead this week, court rules December 12, 2016 Southern rail drivers will go ahead with their planned strike tomorrow after a judge backed the Aslef union over parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). GTR made an urgent appeal last week, arguing the strike would bring services to a standstill. Tomorrow will be the first of three strike days this week, and most routes will have no services. Responding [...]
The number of Uber drivers fighting for workers rights has doubled December 12, 2016 The number of Uber drivers claiming they are workers rather than self-employed has now doubled as a further 25 drivers joined as claimants in a legal case which ruled in favour of them in October. It brings the total number of drivers in the case seeking rights to holiday and sick pay along with other benefits to 50, [...]
Transport select committee chair reveals it needed to push the DfT hard to get details of Southern rail contract December 12, 2016 The government deliberately withheld details regarding the Southern rail contract from the scrutiny of a select committee, an MP has claimed, and has been accused of dragging its heels on dealing with the rail firm's operational failings. Transport select committee chair Louise Ellman revealed her frustration at the lack of action by the department for transport (DfT) in the [...]
London Southend is flying high as business travelers push private jet usage up 25 per cent December 12, 2016 Business travel is taking off this year as London Southend Airport reported private jet usage was up 25 per cent year on year between March and August. Compared to London's other business jet airports, the Stobart-owned business has the advantages of its convenience and special offerings, said the airport's head of business aviation Hannah Lo Bao. London Southend is located 35 miles from central [...]
Rebuffed by unions: The government did offer to get involved in the Southern dispute last week December 12, 2016 The trade unions at the centre of the Southern rail dispute refused to respond to approaches from the transport minister to avert this week's industrial action. Economics minister Simon Kirby today received a letter from Chris Grayling revealing the reticence by the unions to get round the table and the threats by drivers union Aslef for [...]
London Luton Airport’s passenger numbers were up 13 per cent in November December 12, 2016 London Luton Airport (LLA) had a record-breaking month with 13 per cent passenger growth in November. This month was the London airport's 32nd consecutive month of passenger growth, following its milestone in October of 14 million passengers. LLA is currently investing more than £110m to increasing the airport's capacity from 12m to 18m passengers per year by 2020. The upgrades include improvements [...]
Southern rail tells customers not to travel tomorrow whether or not it manages to block one of the two sets of strike action December 12, 2016 Southern rail has decided to elevate itself to the same level of the great British institution of bad weather and told London's workers not to worry about rail strikes and simply take the day off. While bosses in the City may have been a little more sympathetic to a day of workers being stranded in their houses as [...]