Congestion charge to be rolled back to 18:00 on weekdays July 28, 2021 The London congestion charge will stop at 18:00 on weekdays under new proposals from Transport for London (TfL) to encourage punters to return to the capital’s hospitality hotspots in the evenings. However, on weekends it will become operational between 12:00 and 18:00, in order to reduce congestion in central London and get people back on [...]
To face mask or not to face mask? Covid etiquette is an experiment in human behaviour July 28, 2021 To mask or not to mask? Along with scores of other things we never would have anticipated, whether or not to cover up our nose and mouth is the latest thorny issue in Covid etiquette. The answer from Boris Johnson is clear: in public spaces such as transport, bars, restaurants or other busy indoor places, [...]
Wood Green man dies two days after altercation with Metropolitan Police July 27, 2021 A man who was reportedly behaving “erratically” while carrying a knife and then handcuffed by police officers has died, Scotland Yard has confirmed. The Metropolitan Police said that officers were called to a home in James Gardens in Wood Green, north London, at around 8.10pm on Thursday following concerns for the welfare of a male [...]
More industries exempt from isolation and testing sites expanded in effort to ease pingdemic July 26, 2021 More workers are now able to avoid Covid self-isolation after the government expanded a pilot workplace testing scheme in a bid to halt the “pingdemic” causing staff shortages across England. Prison staff, some veterinary staff, telecoms organisations, defence staff such as soldiers, HMRC staff and refuse collectors will now be eligible for exemption. It comes [...]
TfL still facing £500m funding gap as network unveils slimmer budget July 26, 2021 Transport for London (TfL) today revealed that it is facing a £500m funding gap for this financial year as it continues to try to broker a long-term financial package with the government. In its revised budget, published this afternoon, the transport network revealed that it would need £1.9bn of funding for 2021/22, down from the [...]
Train passengers braced for pingdemic chaos amid restaurant closure threat July 24, 2021 British rail passengers are braced for a summer of travel chaos after a string of operators prepare for mass cancellations due to the so-called pingdemic. At least seven train networks have been granted government approval to impose emergency timetables as a result of a severe shortage of drivers and crew. The measures could reportedly last [...]
Covid: Falling cases could be ‘false peak’, scientist warns July 24, 2021 A decline in the number of Covid-19 cases across the UK could be a “false peak” and figures over the next fortnight will be crucial in showing the course of the pandemic, a top scientist has said. Data released yesterday showed coronavirus cases had fallen for the third consecutive day, with 36,389 new infections marking [...]
Sofitel St James: Rediscover London with a touch of luxury July 24, 2021 When a man is tired of London, he should probably try booking a staycation here. With international travel still (somehow) in disarray, and the languorous month of August looming, it’s only sensible that Brits look closer to home for a break. But forget the packed beaches of Cornwall or the rural gridlock of the Lake [...]
City back open for business following lifting of lockdown restrictions July 23, 2021 The City of London Corporation’s Deputy Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, Chris Hayward, today addressed the Court of Common Council, the City Corporation’s main decision-making body, to outline a range of steps being taken to support recovery across the Square Mile. In the first in-person meeting at Guildhall since virtual sessions were introduced [...]
London Tories call for Khan to reopen van and lorry scrappage scheme July 23, 2021 London’s Conservatives have today written to Mayor Sadiq Khan urging him put £50m from City Hall’s business rates reserves towards reopening scrappage schemes for vans and heavy vehicles ahead of the expansion of the ULEZ zone. Although Khan has so far provided £61m to drivers looking to trade in non-ULEZ compliant vehicles, the van and [...]