Black cabs and Uber can co-exist in London – and can even help each other get more custom February 10, 2016 Famous the world over, London’s black cabs are an iconic part of our city’s transport infrastructure. That’s why the impact of apps like Uber on traditional taxis has generated such a heated debate in the capital. Of course competition has affected the taxi trade. But surely the answer to the pressures faced by black cabs [...]
TfL Tube strike February 2016 update: RMT calls off London Underground maintenance workers’ strikes on Friday and Saturday 12 and 13 February – but more action is on the way February 10, 2016 The RMT union has called off a strike of Tube maintenance workers, planned to take place on Friday and Saturday. The strike, over what RMT called "basic safety issues", was set to last for 24 hours, from 6.30am on Friday. But today the union put out a statement saying it had received confirmation changes to [...]
Black Cab protest is already snarling up roads in central London including Whitehall as drivers demonstrate over TfL and private hire vehicles including Uber February 10, 2016 If you're planning on travelling through central London this afternoon, you might want to avoid roads – Black Cab drivers went out on protest earlier today and it's taking a while to clear. The protest was due to start at 2:30pm, but pictures and videos on social media showed that many cabbies had convened on [...]
Transport for London, Islington and Camden Councils open public consultation for King’s Cross gyratory to be overhauled as part of area regeneration February 10, 2016 King's Cross gyratory is poised to get a major facelift, with simplified roads and better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Transport for London, Islington and Camden Councils have published plans for a public consultation that they say will "transform the King’s Cross area". The improvement work is part of the mayor’s ongoing £4bn road modernisation plan. Proposals include creating [...]
Uber and other private hire firms want to act as taxis, but without the costs: This is why Black Cab drivers are protesting TfL’s private hire review today February 10, 2016 A taxi demonstration is being held in Whitehall today in protest at this government’s intervention in proposed changes and updates to the private hire act 1998. Many proposals were both sensible and in the public interest. One of the changes was that any “app” may not display the whereabouts of an available vehicle in law this [...]
London doesn’t deserve PR gimmicks, but a thriving taxi and private hire market that caters for all February 9, 2016 London doesn’t deserve PR gimmicks but a thriving taxi and private hire market that caters for all. Uber’s decision to offer zero per cent commission to black cab drivers has been self-described as an "olive branch". This is slightly disingenuous. In the same press release Uber has questioned the need for the Knowledge, graduates of which are [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin says government won’t pay for Labour candidate Sadiq Khan’s fare freeze February 9, 2016 A Cabinet minister has rejected Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan's proposals for freezing Transport for London (TfL) fares until at least 2020, saying central government will not pick up the bill for any unfunded City Hall schemes. Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin attacked Khan's fare pledges today, saying they would put infrastructure projects in the capital "at [...]
TfL Tube strike 2016: First of seven 24-hour London Underground strikes to run from Friday 12 February – here is everything you need to know February 9, 2016 The first of seven 12 and 24-hour strikes is scheduled to take place this Friday in a fight over "basic safety issues". Commuters might have breathed a sigh of relief when first the Night Tube and then the ticket closure strikes were called off at the last minute – but this action is entirely separate, and likely [...]
Uber lets Londoners book black cabs without charging drivers as olive branch in regulation row, but industry and Hailo reject offer February 9, 2016 Black cabs will be available to passengers through the Uber app in a significant move aimed at dispelling tensions between tradition and technology on London's roads. Uber will make the app available for black cab drivers to find fares with no commission fee for the first 12 months, allowing them to pick up passengers in the same way as Uber drivers [...]
As east London’s population explodes, we must build more tunnels and bridges to connect north and south communities across the Thames February 8, 2016 London’s population is booming and nowhere more so than in east London, which is expected to see its population increase by 600,000 in the next 15 years. It is a region ripe with opportunity – hundreds of thousands of new homes and jobs can be created in the area. But with just three road crossings [...]