TfL should increase fares to promote social distancing, says think tank May 4, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) should increase fare prices at peak times once the coronavirus lockdown is eased, according to one of the country’s top think tanks. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) released a new report today, suggesting measures such as increased fare prices would act as a disincentive for people catching public transport once [...]
Coronavirus: Rail unions warn against increasing rail services May 4, 2020 The UK’s three rail unions have urged Boris Johnson’s and other regional leaders to not implement a blanket increase of train services as the coronavirus lockdown eases. The trio of unions said they would “not accept new working patterns that put the lives of railway workers and passengers at risk” and that they “are not [...]
Coronavirus: London’s dynamic economy will return May 1, 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has changed virtually every aspect of the way we live and its awful legacy will be felt for a long time. Above all, the loss of life is clearly the most terrible and important impact – and the reason we must do whatever it takes to reduce and ultimately to prevent transmission. [...]
Transport for London ‘in line for Tube bailout’ April 22, 2020 Urban transport operators including Tube operator Transport for London are in line for government bailout as the complete collapse in passenger numbers due to coronavirus raised questions over their survival. The Financial Times reported that Whitehall officials said that emergency funding could be released by the end of the week following negotiations. Passenger numbers have [...]
Increasing numbers of EU citizens wrongly denied Universal Credit, says lobby group April 20, 2020 Some EU nationals living in the UK are being wrongly denied access to benefits during the coronavirus crisis, according to an advocacy group for EU citizens. Lobby group the3million, created to protect the rights of EU citizens living in the UK, has said that EU citizens eligible for Universal Credit have been turned down and [...]
Coronavirus: Decision to cut Tube services caused overcrowding, say transport watchdogs April 20, 2020 A decision made by Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) to reduce Tube services has caused overcrowding during the coronavirus lockdown, according to the UK’s two largest transport watchdogs. The mayor of London, on numerous occasions, blamed overcrowding on some Tube lines to people using the network unnecessarily at peak times. This caused a [...]
CMA provisionally clears Amazon’s £442m Deliveroo investment over coronavirus April 17, 2020 A UK watchdog today provisionally cleared Amazon’s massive £442m investment into Deliveroo due to the risk the food delivery firm faces from coronavirus. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) called the situation “wholly unprecedented” but said the cash was “realistically only available from Amazon”. Deliveroo has seen a significant decline in revenues from the UK [...]
Coronavirus: London mayor Sadiq Khan calls for face masks on Tube April 17, 2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan called on the government today to make coronavirus face masks compulsory for people using the Tube or shopping. The mayor said that evidence from around the world was that face coverings help stop the spread of coronavirus. New York has ordered residents to wear masks or substitute face coverings when in [...]
Universal Credit boss promises improved payment delivery for new claimants April 15, 2020 A higher proportion of new benefits claimants will receive their payment on time than before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the boss of Universal Credit. In normal times, 87 per cent of new Universal Credit claimants get their first payment on time, which is after five weeks from applying, according to figures from the Department [...]
Government ‘does not expect’ UK social distancing measures to be eased April 13, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has confirmed the government “does not expect” to lift its social distancing measures at this week’s review. Boris Johnson put the UK into effective lockdown last month and said it would be reviewed on a three-weekly basis. Speaking at today’s daily press briefing, Raab said: “This week Sage (the Scientific Advisory [...]