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 [...]
This alternative Tube map shows you the travel time from every station on the London Underground February 12, 2016 When reinventing the Tube map, why settle for half measures? A new version designed by developer Peter Trotman throws out Harry Beck’s iconic 1931 design entirely to create an interactive map based not on geography but travel times. The map distorts based on the time it takes to travel from the station you’re starting from. [...]
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 [...]