Heathrow’s already started spending on its third runway October 31, 2016 The government's backing of Heathrow airport expansion has triggered £50m of supply chain investment. Suffice to say the airport was ready and raring to go ahead of the government's decision to green light its expansion last week. Heathrow said the government's backing meant that £50m will be invested before the end of next year, creating 2,700 new British [...]
This week’s Southern strikes are set to go ahead with RMT dismissing Govia deadline as “more threats and bullying” October 31, 2016 Govia Thameslink Railway (the parent company of Southern Railway) is playing hardball. It's now told the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union it will rescind its "full and comprehensive offer" if strike action, planned for later this week (4 and 5 November) goes ahead. Essentially, it's the last chance for RMT to accept GTR's previously [...]
Lord David Blunkett says Heathrow expansion must deliver on closing the skills gap October 31, 2016 Legal challenges, what legal challenges? Heathrow has announced the names of 13 members of its new skills taskforce, led by Lord David Blunkett, which meets for the first time today. And Blunkett has said that Heathrow must deliver a long-term skills legacy for the nation, warning that a coordinated skills strategy on infrastructure was necessary to learn [...]
Here are all the rail and station closures in London over Christmas October 31, 2016 Brace yourselves, commuters. There have been many headlines about incoming Christmas travel chaos, and now Network Rail has announced major station closures as an extensive programme of rail improvements goes ahead, it looks like there'll be a few more yet… Read more: Could Network Rail have to go cap in hand to the government? Rail [...]
London must shake off its complacency over housing and infrastructure if it’s to thrive post-Brexit October 31, 2016 Rarely has a ranking of the world’s greatest cities been released in the past few years without London at its top, or very near it. PwC recently named the capital the world’s best city for opportunity, praising its economic clout, its attractiveness to foreign direct investment, its highly skilled workforce, and its status as a [...]
We can renew London once again post-Brexit – if we channel the can-do spirit of our ancestors in facing up to our housing and infrastructure challenges October 31, 2016 London has always risen again. This is the 350th anniversary of its greatest resurrection. Our ancestors in 1666 reacted to the Great Fire with a speed and coordination that defies belief. They tax-incentivised developers, ran the first national charitable appeal, invented modern fire insurance, and worked day and night for free. Compared with the Great Fire, [...]
Reflections on my year as lord mayor – and why London will remain the world’s greatest city October 31, 2016 As I enter my final fortnight as lord mayor, I have spent some time reflecting on my year in office. I have been privileged to witness and support many areas of commercial progress during my international visits, domestic travels, and here in the City of London. I am also greatly looking forward to a number [...]
It’s cheaper to buy than rent in nearly two thirds of British cities (not London though) October 30, 2016 It's now more cost-effective to buy a home than rent in nearly two-thirds of British cities, according to new research from Zoopla. Spoiler alert: London's in the other third. The property website analysed the cost of renting a two-bedroom home compared to servicing a mortgage in Britain's 50 biggest cities. The proportion of cities offering better [...]
First legal challenges to Heathrow expansion take off as residents’ group claims bias October 29, 2016 We all knew they were coming; it was a matter of when rather than if. And not a week since the government announced that Heathrow expansion was getting the green light, the first legal challenge has been set in motion against the third runway. Residents' organisation Teddington Action Group (TAG) is alleging "apparent bias" against Sir [...]
Giving Uber drivers “worker” status is bad news for passengers, the gig economy and the drivers themselves October 28, 2016 Friday's decision to grant two Uber drivers worker status is bad news not just for Uber, but for its drivers, its customers, and the future of the “gig economy” as a whole. It is primarily bad for Uber drivers. We know for a fact that, by vast margins (five to one), they don’t want to [...]