Revealed: Testing delays mean Crossrail may not open until October 2021 December 18, 2019 The central section of Crossrail may not be open before October 2021, despite claims it could be launched in the first quarter of that year. The project has been cursed with endless delays and budget blowouts, with its cost now expected to be £18.25bn – £3.4bn over its original costings. Crossrail bosses announced in November [...]
Experts unsure about the effect of air pollution on the Tube December 18, 2019 The effects of the high levels of dust and air pollution throughout London’s Tube system is unknown, according to a new report. A London Assembly report into Tube dust confirmed that “concentrations of particulate matter on underground platforms” are much higher than outside. Read more: London Underground has the city’s highest level of air pollution [...]
The UK’s richest workers don’t live or work in London December 18, 2019 Professionals living in London are the poorest workers in Britain as expensive basic living costs eat up a large chunk of their salaries, according to the latest research. Despite enjoying an average monthly salary of £2,348.49 Londoners were left with just £221.16 to spend after essential expenditures such as rent, travel and food are taken [...]
Person dies after being hit by train at Harringay station December 17, 2019 A person has died after being hit by a train at Harringay station in north London this morning. In a statement, British Transport Police confirmed that officers were called to the station shortly before 11.50 this morning following reports of a casualty on the tracks. Paramedics were also in attendance, but the person was pronounced [...]
Exclusive: Crossrail safety issues spiral in 2019 with record rate of near-misses December 17, 2019 High risk incidents in the construction of Crossrail doubled this year, in a trend that an engineering company contracted by Transport for London (TfL) has described as “worrying”. Crossrail records the number of incidents that could, in different circumstances, have caused death or serious injury. This year, Crossrail workers have been involved in 50 of [...]
Tube delays: Central, District and Circle Lines suffer rush hour misery December 17, 2019 Commuters were left to endure a torrid rush hour journey to work this morning after Tube delays hit three Underground lines. A signal failure at Aldgate and an earlier one at Hammersmith have brought the Circle Line to a halt in the anti-clockwise direction, as well as running with minor delays the other way. Read [...]
Get Brexit done, yes — but now onto the urgent domestic agenda December 17, 2019 It may have seemed like a lifetime, but the six-week election campaign period has finally drawn to a close. And at the end of January, the UK is set to leave the EU — at the fourth attempt. With a thumping majority, the Prime Minister should face little challenge in getting his withdrawal agreement through [...]
TfL and Sadiq Khan to write to government in funding bid December 16, 2019 Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) will write to the new government in a bid to secure funding for several big ticket transport projects. TfL’s newly released five-year business plan said the government’s 2019 spending round statement had not provided long-term funding certainty past 2021. Read more: Crossrail delay until 2021 may cost London [...]
Hong Kong tycoon snaps up £65m penthouse after Boris Johnson victory December 16, 2019 A Hong Kong tycoon has splashed out £65m on a penthouse apartment in Belgravia just hours after Boris Johnson’s landslide election victory was confirmed. It is understood that the deal, which is the most expensive penthouse sale this year, was completed as investors celebrated the huge Tory win. Read more: Chinese property firms in plans [...]
Well done, Boris — now it’s time to fix the UK’s infrastructure and access to talent December 16, 2019 Now that the dust has settled on last week’s election, the new Conservative government led by Boris Johnson faces the urgent task of getting on with delivering a programme that benefits households and businesses across the UK. Christmas may be around the corner, but the hard work starts now. The City of London Corporation will [...]