Unified Response: London police, ambulance and fire crews test UK’s biggest ever multi-agency disaster training exercise as tower “collapses” into Waterloo Tube station February 29, 2016 London's emergency services are taking part in the biggest training exercise in London Fire Brigade's 150-year history, to see if the various agencies can cope in the wake of a major disaster. Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance and NHS England London are among the agencies taking part in the exercise, which is being coordinated by the London [...]
The amount we spent on contactless cards trebled to £7.8bn in 2015, with the payment method proving particularly popular with London commuters February 26, 2016 The way we're spending is changing, with the value of transactions on contactless cards soaring last year, according to research released today. The study by The UK Cards Association discovered that spending on contactless cards hit £7.8bn in 2015, up 233 per cent from £2.3bn in 2014. The number of transactions carried out contactlessly also rose to [...]
Is TfL lighting the way with its new interiors for the London Underground? February 25, 2016 While most of us can appreciate the marvel that is the London Underground – especially those who have travelled on the Paris and New York equivalents – few actually enjoy using it on a day-to-day basis. So TfL has hired architectural lighting firm Nulty+ and saddled them with quite a challenge; making your commute more [...]
Crossrail’s new name confuses New Yorkers after a woman named Elizabeth Line finds overnight fame February 24, 2016 The project formerly known as Crossrail was rebranded the Elizabeth Line yesterday, in deference to her maj, but the news has caused unexpected confusion in the states. Elizabeth Line, a 40-year old businesswoman from New York, was flattered to wake up this morning and discovering London's newest addition to the underground had been named after her, too. [...]
Crossrail: How London’s Tube map will look after the launch of the Elizabeth Line, running from Shenfield and Abbey Wood to Reading February 24, 2016 Get ready Londoners: the Tube map is about to undergo another big change, ahead of the launch of a new line crossing the capital from east to west. The project formerly known as Crossrail was rebranded the Elizabeth Line yesterday, in deference to our good lady monarch. The Elizabeth line will provide a lasting tribute to [...]
London house prices: As with Crossrail, all major transport projects must now define themselves within the property debate February 18, 2016 Last week at the London Assembly’s Transport Committee hearing, Lord Adonis provided evidence on how he will assess the case for Crossrail 2. As chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, his views will be pivotal in deciding the fate of the embryonic scheme. Of particular interest was what Adonis said about the difference between Crossrail 1 [...]
Which? survey shows Arriva, Thameslink, Great Northern, First Great Western and Southern are among the UK’s most delayed train services February 18, 2016 If you're reading this while swaying on one of the capital's much-maligned commuter train services, take heed: new research has found commuters suffer the UK's worst train services – and Londoners are among the worst hit. The research, by Which?, found a third of commuters experienced delays on their last journey – with Arriva Trains Wales, [...]
Oxford Street, Blackwall Tunnel, Southwark and Holborn teams win Transport for London funding to build streets for the future February 18, 2016 London's streets might not be paved with gold but they are about to become home to something arguably more interesting. Four schemes have been awarded funding by Transport for London, including an "intelligent" energy-generating side-street in the West End and a "noise-absorbing barrier" near the Blackwall Tunnel. The four grants have been awarded as part of its future [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Pidgeon talks childcare, Tube and bus fares, congestion charge, airport expansion February 16, 2016 As the Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London, Caroline Pidgeon dismisses suggestions that the contest to replace Boris Johnson in City Hall is a two-horse race between Labour hopeful Sadiq Khan and Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith. But she does not shy away from slamming the front-runners for being too self-important in their efforts to become [...]
From Google’s tax row and the Black Cabs vs Uber to Storm Imogen and the bank bloodbath: Here’s what got us talking this week February 12, 2016 We saw what London would look like if all the skyscrapers being considered got built. A Shoreditch development is bringing history to centre Stage. And we learned how much the Night Tube delay has hurt house prices in central London. Here's what got us talking this week The banking sector is facing its toughest period since [...]