The Elizabeth Line in pictures: Our first look at Crossrail February 8, 2022 It’s almost here. Almost fifteen years after being granted approval by government, the Elizabeth Line is set to open in just months. City A.M. Editor Andy Silvester went underground to see the line’s progress – trusty iPhone camera in tow. I THINK people are going to be impressed” are TfL Commissioner Andy Byford’s last words [...]
There is a light at the end of the London underground if we fight for its funding February 8, 2022 Last week, Transport for London was given another short extension on its emergency funding deal. This is hardly anything except another sticking plaster solution, stretched out a little longer, rather than a long-term programme to invest in London’s transport system. This came the same week that TfL issued a budget update setting out a potentially [...]
TfL property arm given green light for 350 homes near Cockfosters tube station February 7, 2022 Plans for 350 new rental homes near Cockfosters tube station have been given another seal of approval by council officials. Connected Living London (CLL), the partnership between property developer Grainger and Transport for London), is to move forward with plans for a new development near Cockfosters tube station. Four tower blocks will be built on [...]
EM impact investing: the importance of the environment February 7, 2022 As emerging market (EM) impact investors, care for the environment has long been a concern for us. In fact, the environment is one of five key investment themes we’ve identified as part of our impact investment process. By investing in sustainably run companies whose products or services help address environmental and societal challenges, our intent [...]
Trainline seeks Whitehall reassurance as rival ticketing app spooks businesses February 6, 2022 Trainline’s bosses have been fretting over a possible government-funded ticketing competitor, saying it could destroy the business. The group has reportedly sought reassurance from Whitehall that ministers’ plans to create a new ticketing app will not undermine its business, the Sunday Telegraph reported. According to Peel Hunt analyst James Lockyer, after a meeting where Trainline’s [...]
Where’s Boris (bikes)? London loses record number of hire cycles February 4, 2022 London has lost a record number of Boris bikes, data from Transport for London (TfL) reported. Around 1,164 bikes were lost in the nine months ended September 2021, a 24.6 per cent hike on the 934 lost in 2020, the Evening Standard reported. TfL attributes the increasing number of bikes lost – which has grown [...]
RMT deals TfL umpteenth blow announcing two-day strike in March February 4, 2022 The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has dealt Transport for London (TfL) the umpteenth blow as it announced this morning a two-day strike. The day-long industrial actions will take place on 1 and 3 March and risk causing the closure of the entire London Underground network. The move was voted by [...]
Grant Shapps promises angry commuters ‘big improvements’ in railway timetables February 4, 2022 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has promised angry commuters that ‘big improvements’ in railway timetables are bound to take place within the next two weeks. Shapps said this morning he’s in talks with train operators to bring timetables back to quasi normal levels, as the number of people travelling has increased significantly following the removal of [...]
Editorial: TfL deal needed as you can’t grow the UK with London in gridlock February 2, 2022 It is a strange and perverse mark of this government that it seems thoroughly uninterested in Britain’s most successful industries. Financial services were broadly absent from the treaty with the European Union, and barely feature in the post-Brexit discussions instead dominated by debates over our mackerel catch. It seems in a semi-permanent state of war [...]
Levelling up: Khan says ‘deprived’ London areas need funding as much as the North February 2, 2022 Sadiq Khan has said London’s poorest boroughs are “some of the most deprived” in the UK and need funding just as much as the North in response to the government’s newly unveiled levelling up white paper. The mayor of London said he welcomed the new policy plan to help left behind areas in the North [...]