Focus On Queen’s Park: Good schools, shops and value lure families to north west London March 3, 2017 Garden towns and villages have made a surprising comeback of late, largely as a by-product of our desperate search for a solution to the housing crisis. The government announced at the start of the year that it intended to build three new towns of 10,000 houses each, in a bid to reach a target of [...]
Taxi for Uber: High Court rules in favour of TfL saying private hire drivers will have to pass a written English exam March 3, 2017 Uber has lost a key part of its High Court case against Transport for London (TfL), after a High Court ruled private hire drivers will be forced to pass a written English exam. The firm did though, win other parts of its case, so it won't have to provide a telephone call centre for passengers open 24 hours [...]
TfL tells court: Our English tests for Uber drivers might be excessive, but it’s the best we have March 2, 2017 Lawyers for Transport for London (TfL) today told a court it is aware the testing it is proposing for private hire drivers, like Uber drivers, might be considered excessive, but it doesn't have a suitable alternative. Uber is challenging the legal basis for rules proposed by TfL which would require private hire drivers to take a [...]
Uber boss issues apology following heated argument with driver, and says it’s time to grow up March 1, 2017 Travis Kalanick has issued an apology after a video was published showing the Uber boss in a heated argument with a driver over the app's pay rates. "To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement," said the 40-year-old chief exec. "My job as your leader is to lead…and that starts with behaving in [...]
A signal failure on the Northern Line is still causing severe disruption for the capital March 1, 2017 The Northern Line is still dealing with severe disruptions after a signal failure this morning. While the issue has been fixed, it took longer than anticipated and Transport for London said it doesn't have a timescale of how long it'll take the line to get back to normal service. So commuters heading home in rush [...]
Transport for London turned a blind eye to the discrimination caused by new writing tests, Uber lawyer tells court March 1, 2017 Uber has today accused Transport for London (TfL) of burying its head in the sand when assessing the level of discrimination involved in its proposed English language testing. The tech giant is challenging the legal basis for rules proposed by TfL which would require private hire drivers to take a written English language test. Legal eagles for [...]
Uber: TfL’s new English test rules could cut the number of private hire drivers in London by 33,000 February 28, 2017 The number of private hire drivers in London could be cut by 33,000 if new rules requiring all them to complete a written English test are introduced, Uber has claimed Figures suggest as many as 28 per cent of minicab drivers could lose their licence by 2020 – while another 37,000 new applicants to be [...]
Future of Garden Bridge hanging in the balance, says London politician February 28, 2017 The future of the Garden Bridge is hanging in the balance, despite being cleared of financial irregularities, according to a London Assembly member. Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey had complained to the Charity Commission about the project, citing concerns about spending by the Garden Bridge trust. Earlier this year, the trustees admitted the project could cost [...]
The RMT is balloting London Underground workers for strike action over the “victimisation of Tube staff” February 27, 2017 More London Underground walkouts could be on the horizon as the RMT union has announced it's balloting station staff for strike action and action short of a strike. The RMT said it will be balloting station staff across its London Bridge group after one member was fired and two others disciplined for intervening to stop a "serious [...]
Uber takes on TfL in High Court over English language requirements February 26, 2017 The car-booking firm Uber joins forces with three of its drivers this week to launch a High Court challenge to English language tests for minicab drivers. Under the proposals, put forward by Transport for London (TfL), private-hire drivers without UK qualifications will have to take a two-hour test to demonstrate their English language skills. Yet [...]