Scandinavian fund EQT join race for First Group’s US businesses January 7, 2021 A Scandinavian fund has joined the bidding for transport operator First Group’s US assets, which are valued at £2.5bn. Sky News reported that EQT Infrastructure made a $3.7bn bid for the First Transit and First Student in the days leading up to Christmas. The fund, which is run by one of Scandinavia’s most powerful equity [...]
Khan pushes for airport testing, while airport boss wants taxpayers to foot bill January 7, 2021 Sadiq Khan pushes for airport testing, while Southend airport boss wants taxpayers to pay for pre-flight tests
City of London Corporation teams up with Amazon to cut delivery vehicles and improve air quality January 7, 2021 The City of London Corporation has approved its first Last Mile Logistics Hub to consolidate deliveries across central London, reduce traffic and cut harmful emissions. The Planning and Transportation Committee approved the initiative which will transform 39 car parking spaces within the underutilised London Wall Car Park into a hub for Amazon Logistics. The final leg of [...]
HS2 minister: Covid crisis has ‘strengthened’ case for high speed rail link January 6, 2021 The case for the controversial HS2 rail link has been bolstered by the coronavirus pandemic, the minister responsible for the project has told lawmakers. Speaking to the Transport Select Committee, Andrew Stephenson hit back at growing concerns that the current crisis has made the high speed line unnecessary. “You can argue that Covid has affected [...]
The three Cs driving WFH and their impact on global cities January 5, 2021 Investors in the office sector face a divergent picture due to the working from home (WFH) trend, says fund manager Tom Walker. Recent encouraging news regarding a Covid-19 vaccine means many of us are looking forward to resuming our “normal” lives. Getting out of the house will be top priority for many, particularly those of [...]
Tube and bus passenger numbers plunge as lockdown begins January 5, 2021 There were 200,000 journeys made on the London Underground on the first morning of the latest national lockdown, figures from Transport for London (TfL) showed today. As of 10am this morning, passengers made a total of 400,000 entrances and exits to the Tube network, which is the equivalent to 18 per cent of pre-pandemic demand [...]
It will need all hands to the pump to get London back where it should be January 5, 2021 Last year was for many the most challenging year in living memory. Repeated lockdowns, the loss of loved ones, business closures, job losses and a complete shift in how we live our lives. Our great capital city has also undergone sudden and dramatic changes. As the pandemic took hold in March it was eerily empty, [...]
15 incredible Londoners in the New Year’s Honours List January 2, 2021 In a list that was largely dominated by health staff and civil servants this year, Christopher Woolard, who served as interim Chief Exec of the FCA in 2020, became a Commander of the British Empire, while Kate Nicholls, a vocal advocate for the hospitality industry throughout this terrible year for bars, pubs and restaurants, received [...]
Software startup Ondato moves to London in post-Brexit boost December 31, 2020 Software startup Ondato is establishing new headquarters in London, marking a show of confidence in the UK’s booming tech scene after Brexit. Ondato, which operates biometric authentication software, said it was “undeterred” by the UK’s departure from the EU and would use its new base in Canary Wharf to drive further expansion in Europe. The [...]
Rail services to be axed under Government plans: reports December 28, 2020 Reports have emerged overnight suggesting as many as one in five train services could be axed to reduce financial pressure on the network. The Treasury has been propping up rail services throughout 2020 as lockdown restrictions cut passenger numbers. The Telegraph reports that officials want to bring rail capacity down by a fifth to reduce [...]