Over three quarters of UK subcontractors don’t benefit from national infrastructure projects November 21, 2016 With Philip Hammond's first Autumn Statement on the horizon, the general expectation is that it'll be an infrastructure-laden announcement. And UK subcontractors are among many hoping they'll get some attention. Over three quarters (78 per cent) don't benefit from national infrastructure projects, according to new research from specialist funder Bibby Financial Services (BFS). Helen Wheeler, managing director [...]
A five per cent improvement in airport journey times could generate £1.9bn for the UK economy, says the AOA November 21, 2016 The Airport Operators Association wants the government to improve surface access to airports, and it's done its research ahead of Wednesday's Autumn Statement. It's calling on the government to invest in transport links to airports, after its new report, in conjunction with Capital Economics, said the government could create tens of thousands of jobs by reducing [...]
Sadiq Khan wants Volkswagen to cough up £2.5m owed to London in congestion charges November 20, 2016 As if Volkswagen didn't have enough on its plate, now it's facing a £2.5m compensation demand from mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Khan has written to the car giant after Transport for London (TfL) found that an estimated 80,000 of the 500,000 VW cars registered to addresses in the capital, were fitted with illegal defeat devices. So [...]
Fifteen people charged over Heathrow expansion protest November 20, 2016 The Met Police have charged 15 people following a protest at Heathrow Airport yesterday. The police said they had been charged with wilful obstruction of the highway, following a protest near M4 Spur Road. All those charged have been bailed to appear at Ealing Magistrates Court on Thursday 22 December. Heathrow expansion protesters were arrested after [...]
Potholes beware: UK’s roads to get a £1.3bn boost in Philip Hammond’s infrastructure-intensive first Autumn Statement November 20, 2016 A £1.3bn funding boost to go towards improving Britain's roads will be one of the key infrastructure policies announced in Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement next week. Infrastructure investment will be "at the heart" of the mini-Budget, the government said today, will policies targeting long-term economic growth and productivity. An industrial strategy will also be published in [...]
Second tram investigation launched after video shows a driver “asleep” at controls close to spot of tragic Croydon crash November 19, 2016 An investigation has been launched into footage that appears to show a tram driver "asleep" while driving a tram close to the site where a major crash occurred nine days ago. The driver in the video, who was doing 40mph two stops away from the crash area, had 50 passengers on board the rush-hour tram when the [...]
Steel yourselves: Storm Angus set to batter London tonight with 55mph winds and could affect commuters on Monday morning November 19, 2016 The first storm of Autumn 2016 is poised to batter London, the South and South East of England tonight and could cause disruption to commuters into Monday morning. Storm Angus will be whipping up a, err, storm, overnight when gales with storm-force winds developing over the English Channel will be swept overland from Dorset to Suffolk. London [...]
Crystal ball time: What’s lined up in the Autumn Statement for transport and infrastructure? November 18, 2016 Infrastructure has become a bit of a theme ahead of Philip Hammond's first Autumn Statement. He has already announced the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is to become an executive agency with a budget, and apparently autonomy too. Rumour has it he's planning to invest up to £15bn in Britain's transport network and back dozens of [...]
London mayor Sadiq Khan confirms transport fares will be frozen November 18, 2016 Transport fares for Londoners will be frozen at current levels until 2020, Sadiq Khan has confirmed. The freeze in Transport for London (TfL) fares for the next four years means that everyone buying a bus or tram ticket in London will not pay a penny more next year than they did in 2016. Pay as you go [...]
The number of London workers with daily commutes of two hours or more is up by nearly a fifth November 18, 2016 You haven't imagined it: long commutes in the capital are increasing. The number of employees having to suffer through daily commutes of two hours or more has gone up nearly a fifth (17.2 per cent) over the past five years, according to new analysis from the Trades Union Congress (TUC). In 2015, 930,612 London workers had daily [...]