DEBATE: Should we accept that this is the end for business travel? August 20, 2020 Should we embrace change and accept that this is the end for business travel? Alethea Warrington, campaigner at climate charity Possible, says YES. The rise of virtual meetings hasn’t just given us an entire subculture of Zoom memes — it has made travelling long distances to attend meetings in person outdated and ridiculous. The pandemic [...]
UK rail fares set to increase by 1.6 per cent in January despite pandemic August 19, 2020 UK rail fares are set to increase by 1.6 per cent in January, adding more than £100 to many annual season tickets to London, after an unexpected rise in a controversial measure of inflation. Official figures published today showed that retail price index (PRI) inflation rose by 1.6 per cent in July year on year. [...]
Why City PR firm Cicero is getting back to the office August 19, 2020 As offices around central London prepare to welcome some staff back to work, the need for employers to instil confidence in their coronavirus safety measures is paramount. At City lobbyist firm Cicero, over 80 per cent of employees have already been back to the office at some point since lockdown restrictions began to ease in [...]
Ireland to tighten coronavirus rules after spike in cases August 18, 2020 Ireland will “significantly” tighten Covid-19 rules following a spike in confirmed coronavirus cases over the past two weeks. It comes after the country’s health minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed there had been 190 new cases today. Ireland previously held one of the lowest infection rates in Europe, but its 14-day rolling average has risen from four [...]
Face masks to be mandatory in French workplaces August 18, 2020 It will be compulsory to wear face masks in most French workplaces from 1 September, a government official has confirmed. The new rules will likely be implemented in shared indoor workspaces, such as offices and factories, as the country’s coronavirus rate continues to increase. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals in France remains low, [...]
How PwC is welcoming staff back into the office safely August 18, 2020 The office still has an important role to play in society, the chairman of Big Four auditor PwC believes, as his staff seek to return to their desks after months spent at their kitchen tables. Kevin Ellis, chairman of PwC tells City A.M. that while the firm has adjusted to remote working the office still [...]
London advocacy groups call for Waterloo and City Tube line to reopen August 17, 2020 London lobby groups have called for the reopening of the Waterloo and City Tube line to help increase the number of people going back to their offices. The shuttle service – which travels between Bank and Waterloo stations – is the only Tube line still not operating, after Transport for London (TfL) restricted public transport [...]
Sadiq Khan allies claim Number 10 is trying to weaken City Hall August 16, 2020 Allies of Sadiq Khan are worried the government is making a concerted attempt to transfer power away from City Hall. The mayor of London has had a series of conflicts with the government, beginning with a set of conditions placed on a £1.6bn TfL bailout from the government. The terms of the bailout saw Boris [...]
Brits optimistic about returning to work despite safety concerns August 13, 2020 British workers are largely optimistic about returning to the office, though concerns remain over whether employers will put the right safety measures in place. Just under half of UK employees said they felt positive about going back to work, while less than one in five said they felt negative, according to a new survey. The [...]
The future of urban transport is human-powered August 11, 2020 In recent months there has been precious little to celebrate as the pandemic has taken away so much and pushed us apart into isolation. Much of the rapid change we have had forced upon us has been negative. But there’s one change that we can choose to make that will benefit all and create the [...]