UK coronavirus: Brits don face masks (and Tesco bags) on public transport March 4, 2020 British commuters are taking the UK coronavirus threat seriously, it appears, donning heavy duty face masks – and Tesco bags – on Tube trains and buses. A man on a London Underground train appeared to decide to keep himself safe on his commute to work by donning a serious-looking gas mask, along with thick rubber [...]
Lloyd’s of London has emergency coronavirus plan in case building locked down March 4, 2020 Lloyd’s of London has “emergency trading protocols” to ensure business continuity if access to its building is restricted due to the coronavirus epidemic. The 330 year-old insurance market will encourage electronic placing, it said in a market notice dated yesterday. Lloyd’s is one of the last bastions of face-to-face trading in the City, with insurance [...]
London Book Fair cancelled over fears of coronavirus contagion March 4, 2020 London Book Fair 2020’s organisers have cancelled the event today “following the escalation of Covid-19 coronavirus in Europe”. Reed Exhibitions, which is a division of FTSE 100 publishing and events business Relx, said the event scheduled for 10-12 March at the London Olympia would now not take place. “The effects, actual and projected, of coronavirus [...]
Sadiq Khan’s rent control pledge is a minefield of unintended consequences March 4, 2020 There is no denying that London faces a housing crisis. Similarly, there is no denying that many people feel that their rents take too high a proportion of their income. If you are Sadiq Khan, the solution is obvious: if people object to high rents, the state should cap them — problem solved. It is [...]
Hammersmith Bridge to close for Boat Race spectators amidst safety fears March 3, 2020 The Hammersmith Bridge will be closed to spectators for the annual Boat Race, turning away thousands from the popular vantage point. The bridge has been closed to cars last April due to safety concerns, with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham estimating repairs will cost £120m. The council said today it had been asked [...]
Crossrail 2 business case passes major Department for Transport hurdle March 3, 2020 The business case for Crossrail 2 has been given preliminary approval by the Department for Transport (DfT), bringing the project closer to a decision on its final fate. The latest business case for the new north-south Tube line was submitted to the government by Transport for London (TfL) in June last year. It includes details [...]
TfL rolls out new trains on the London Overground March 3, 2020 A raft of new trains will be rolled out on the London Overground from today. Transport for London (TfL) announced today that the new electric trains will increase capacity by 10 per cent and replace the oldest rolling stock on the network. The new trains are on overground routes from Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town [...]
UK coronavirus cases surge to new total of 51 March 3, 2020 The number of UK coronavirus cases rocketed to 51 today, a climb of 12 new cases, the government revealed today. Health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the climb in parliament today after the UK recorded four more cases yesterday to take the total to 39. The government today outlined worst-case scenario measures if the UK coronavirus [...]
Coronavirus: Sadiq Khan says Tube travel ban very unlikely March 3, 2020 Londoners are unlikely to be advised to stop using the Tube during the coronavirus outbreak, according to Sadiq Khan. Speaking after the launch of his re-election campaign today, the mayor of London said he does not believe it will be necessary to ban public gatherings or tell people to stay away from public transport. Khan [...]
How your old laptop could change a life March 3, 2020 At a late age I found myself homeless. I was homeless for 15 years.” This statement may sound shocking, but for Ann, this was reality — until she became a member of Thames Reach’s Step-Up project. The Step-Up project is a free support service helping low-paid Londoners progress into better paid work. As Dominika Milowka, [...]