A pro-business mayor? Khan is less so than Livingstone April 29, 2019 Before he was elected, Sadiq Khan promised – in this newspaper and elsewhere – to be the “most pro-business mayor yet”. In a literal sense, that pledge was already a bit limited, because Khan has only had two predecessors: Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. The first one was an apologist for assorted Communist regimes. In [...]
Crossrail sets opening date between October 2020 and March 2021 April 25, 2019 Crossrail will open to passengers between October 2020 and March 2021, about two years later than originally planned, its board revealed today. Read more: TfL boss Mike Brown says he will not stand down over Crossrail criticism The central section of Crossrail – which will be known as the Elizabeth line – will open between Paddington and Abbey [...]
TfL boss Mike Brown says he will not stand down following calls to quit over Crossrail April 25, 2019 TfL boss Mike Brown has said he will not resign following criticism he "downplayed" the risks to the Crossrail opening date to London mayor Sadiq Khan. Appearing before the London Assembly's transport committee this morning, the TfL commissioner rejected suggestions he should resign. "No, I'm not reflecting on whether I'm fit to be in position," he said. [...]
DEBATE: Is Sadiq Khan ultimately responsible for the ongoing delays to Crossrail? April 24, 2019 Is Sadiq Khan ultimately responsible for the ongoing delays to Crossrail Keith Prince, GLA Conservatives’ transport spokesman, says YES. Londoners are all too familiar with this mayor’s penchant for passing the buck and blaming others for his mistakes. But when it comes to the Crossrail project, Sadiq Khan’s attempt to dodge accountability simply won’t wash. [...]
TfL chief faces calls to resign for ‘downplaying’ Crossrail pressures April 23, 2019 Transport for London (TfL) chief Mike Brown is facing calls to resign over allegations he downplayed the pressures facing Crossrail as it became clear the project would struggle to open on time. Email extracts cited in the London Assembly’s second report into Crossrail, which is jointly sponsored by TfL and the Department for Transport, show Brown, [...]
Extinction Rebellion protests: Eco-activists plot Heathrow shutdown at the start of Easter bank holiday weekend April 18, 2019 Climate change activists are planning to shut down the UK’s busiest airport tomorrow to coincide with the Easter bank holiday weekend, according to reports. Extinction Rebellion has called on supporters to meet at Heathrow Airport on Good Friday as thousands of holidaymakers prepare to depart for the long weekend. Read more: Climate change activists denied [...]
Campaigning against climate change doesn’t make you above the law April 18, 2019 UNTIL this week, the anti-climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion had hardly been a household name. Its various activities, like pouring fake blood onto Downing Street and stripping semi-naked during a session of the House of Commons, had been received with the sort of good humour that the British people always reserve for righteous causes [...]
West End businesses lose £12m in two days during climate change protests April 17, 2019 West End businesses have lost an estimated £12m in sales due to the disruption caused by climate change protesters this week. Extinction Rebellion protests at Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Marble Arch have hit retailers in London’s main shopping district, with some stores reporting a 25 per cent drop in footfall. Read more: Climate change protesters target [...]
Council blasted for ‘incompetence’ over Hammersmith Bridge closure April 11, 2019 Hammersmith and Fulham council have been criticised for an apparent lack of transparency over the Hammersmith Bridge, which has been closed indefinitely over safety concerns. The suspension bridge over the Thames was found with “critical faults” that would risk the safety of users and the council said it had “no choice” but to shut the bridge. The [...]
Transport heads raise concerns over Sadiq Khan’s plans for TfL takeover of Network Rail April 9, 2019 Leading Assembly members have raised concerns over Sadiq Khan’s headline-grabbing plan for Transport for London (TfL) to take over key routes and stations from Network Rail in London. Last month the London mayor said responsibility and funding for key rail assets such as tracks and stations should be transferred to the transport body to plug [...]