London Oxford Street traffic brought to standstill by climate change protest April 12, 2019 Around 1,000 student strikers caused traffic chaos in central London today as part of a climate change demonstration. Read more: Working groups established to help finance sector deal with climate change The protesters blocked Oxford Street at the intersection with Regent Street as the third nationwide climate protest turned into a march. Queuing traffic spilled [...]
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 [...]
Charity watchdog criticised for lack of action against £53.5m Garden Bridge project trustees April 9, 2019 The charity watchdog has been criticised for failing to take action against the people behind the failed Garden Bridge project that cost taxpayers £43m. The Charity Commission’s inquiry into the conduct of the Garden Bridge Trust, whose members included the actor Joanna Lumley and PR tycoon Roland Rudd, found that the botched bridge project across [...]
Tube havoc hits commuters as holidaymakers battle Stansted train delays April 9, 2019 Commuters have been hit with delays on the Jubilee and Piccadilly lines this morning. There are severe delays on the Piccadilly Line between Acton Town and Uxbridge with some disruption around Heathrow, due to a faulty track at Turnpike Lane. https://twitter.com/piccadillyline/status/1115537004261933057 The Jubilee Line is now running with minor delays after a signal failure at Canary [...]
Tube strike action on the cards as Aslef and RMT unions reject TfL pay deal April 8, 2019 A second transport union has rejected a pay deal from Transport for London (TfL), increasing the chance of strikes on the Tube. The Aslef train drivers' union has rejected a 2.5 per cent pay rise from TfL, saying it matches the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate which falls "way below" what Aslef is seeking. [...]
Sadiq Khan’s ill-conceived pollution plan only threatens London’s push to go green April 8, 2019 From today, all private hire drivers in London will have to pay the daily £11.50 congestion charge when driving in central London. This is an enormous financial burden for some of the city’s lower paid workers – costing nearly £3,000 a year for a driver earning around £25,000. It's also hugely unfair for operators, many [...]
Sadiq Khan’s £12.50-per-day Ulez charge comes into force: What do London drivers think? April 8, 2019 The new ultra low emission zone (Ulez) will come into force today, forcing the worst polluting cars to clean up or pay a daily £12.50 charge. The zone will initially cover central London and will be clearly signposted with road signs along key boundary points. Cars and vans will need to meet new exhaust emissions [...]
Focus On Highgate: Old money and new money mingle in the mansions of this hilltop London village April 5, 2019 What’s the largest house in Britain? It’s pretty easy to guess – Buckingham Palace, probably the most famous residence in the world aside from the White House. Fewer people could name its closest contender, though, Witanhurst, tucked up in the corner of Highgate Hill. Comprising 90,000sqft – including a 70ft ballroom – it’s the largest [...]
New homes: Our pick of the new builds going on sale in London this weekend April 5, 2019 New developments on the market this week Filmworks, Ealing From £669,950 The final homes near the famous Ealing Studios are on sale in west London. Named Chapman House, after Graham Chapman who filmed Monty Python sketches at the nearby film studios, they’ll include a new eight-screen Picturehouse cinema and 46 one, two and three bedroom [...]