Uber revamps app to offer London passengers a public transport option April 30, 2019 Uber is revamping its app to include public transport information that will allow users to compare journeys based on price and time. Using publicly available data from Transport for London (TfL), the app will grant users to access real-time information for services such as the Underground, Overground and DLR, which Uber says will allow them to [...]
Scrap franchise system and let TfL control London commuter routes, says rail industry April 29, 2019 The rail franchise system should be scrapped and responsibility for commuter routes handed from central government to local authorities such as Transport for London (TfL), the rail industry has said. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents the industry, has today unveiled its proposals for the Williams rail review, which transport secretary Chris Grayling called last [...]
Southend Airport eyes 2.5m passenger target this year amid growth spurt April 29, 2019 London Southend Airport owner Stobart Aviation has set its sights on reaching 2.5m passengers this year and 5m by 2023, in a move that would take it closer to its rival London City Airport (LCA). Southend Airport, which grew nearly 40 per cent last year, said the addition of EasyJet and Ryanair, which started flying from [...]
Siemens and Babcock among winners of £750m Network Rail signalling contract April 29, 2019 Network Rail has awarded contracts collectively worth £750m to companies including Siemens and Babcock to to deliver signalling and telecoms across the UK. The contracts are for projects such as stand-alone level crossings, stand-alone major telecoms and related civil works. Other firms to pick up the contracts include VolkerRail Special Businesses, Atkins, Linbrooke Services and Colas Rail. Signalling [...]
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 [...]
Critics slam ‘absurd’ TfL junk food ad ban as fast food delivery sites allowed to advertise on Tube and buses April 28, 2019 Junk food and takeaways are still being promoted by stealth across London's public transport network via the likes of Just Eat and Deliveroo adverts, despite a recent TfL crackdown. Read more: Mind the ban! How TfL's junk food ad ban may fail to tackle obesity Opponents of TfL’s ban, which prevents images of food items that [...]
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 [...]
Extinction Rebellion protests: 26 arrested after London Stock Exchange climate change protest April 25, 2019 Police arrested 26 people this morning after climate change activists blocked the London Stock Exchange as the Extinction Rebellion protest group targeted Square Mile financial institutions. Read more: Climate change protesters glue themselves to London Stock Exchange The Metropolitan Police said they were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespassing. Meanwhile other activists were demonstrating outside [...]
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. [...]
With Crossrail at a standstill, what other London transport projects have been put on hold? April 24, 2019 Last year was a particularly trying year for transport. The botched May timetable change caused widespread disruption across the country, prompting infuriated passengers to lodge 1m claims against train operator Govia Thameslink alone. While the headline that sticks in the memory is the delayed opening of the £17.6bn Elizabeth Line, there are a number of projects [...]