Crossrail opening delayed until 2022 and extra £1.1bn needed to finish project August 21, 2020 The opening of London’s new Crossrail underground line has been delayed until 2022 and an extra £1.1bn is needed to complete the project, Crossrail Ltd said today. Crossrail said the central section of the Elizabeth Line between Paddington and Abbey Wood will be ready to open in the first half of 2022. Crossrail has faced [...]
UK rail fares set to increase by 1.6 per cent in January despite pandemic August 19, 2020 UK rail fares are set to increase by 1.6 per cent in January, adding more than £100 to many annual season tickets to London, after an unexpected rise in a controversial measure of inflation. Official figures published today showed that retail price index (PRI) inflation rose by 1.6 per cent in July year on year. [...]
London advocacy groups call for Waterloo and City Tube line to reopen August 17, 2020 London lobby groups have called for the reopening of the Waterloo and City Tube line to help increase the number of people going back to their offices. The shuttle service – which travels between Bank and Waterloo stations – is the only Tube line still not operating, after Transport for London (TfL) restricted public transport [...]
Sadiq Khan allies claim Number 10 is trying to weaken City Hall August 16, 2020 Allies of Sadiq Khan are worried the government is making a concerted attempt to transfer power away from City Hall. The mayor of London has had a series of conflicts with the government, beginning with a set of conditions placed on a £1.6bn TfL bailout from the government. The terms of the bailout saw Boris [...]
Sadiq Khan admits empty offices are a ‘big problem for central London’ August 13, 2020 Sadiq Khan has warned for the first time that empty offices in central London are causing a “big problem” for the economy. The mayor of London admitted that small businesses were struggling with the dramatically reduced footfall as huge numbers of people continue to work from home. He urged big firms to reconsider decisions to [...]
Capita extends £355m deal to manage congestion charge August 10, 2020 Outsourcing giant Capita today announced that it had extended three contracts with Transport for London (TfL) in a deal worth £355m. Under the contracts, Capita will continue to run London’s Congestion Charge, Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) until October 2026. Shares in the firm rose three per cent this morning [...]
Sadiq Khan: Saving London’s shops and cafes is ‘urgent priority’ August 10, 2020 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said keeping London’s hospitality businesses and venues open should be an “urgent priority” during the pandemic, or the city risks a downturn it may not recover from. Speaking to City A.M., Khan responded to calls from hospitality businesses to lobby for more support as London gets back on its [...]
London calling: Why it’s time to bring life back to our city’s streets August 10, 2020 Despite a tentative easing of the national lockdown, the lingering economic and social consequences of this policy are frighteningly obvious to anyone venturing into central London. While social life and economic activity has, to a large extent, returned to the outer zones and suburbs, the offices and shops of London’s professional districts remain eerily and [...]
London hospitality firms call for free face masks at Tube stations August 6, 2020 London’s hospitality firms require urgent improvements to the “insufficient and inadequate” support provided for struggling businesses in the city centre, the leading industry body has said. In a letter to London mayor Sadiq Khan, UK Hospitality has set out a number of urgent measures that could encourage Londoners and domestic tourists to visit the centre [...]
Tory mayor candidate Shaun Bailey calls Sadiq Khan a ‘con man’ August 5, 2020 Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has accused Sadiq Khan of being a “con man” and of “betraying” black working class communities as he tries to reposition his campaign. Bailey told City A.M. after a speech that Khan had pulled a “confidence trick” on Londoners and had been an habitual liar as mayor. The mayoral candidate [...]