Londoners face 27-day Christmas rail strike as union talks break down November 21, 2019 Christmas shoppers and commuters face a month of festive travel chaos, after talks over a 27-day strike on one of London’s busiest rail networks broke down. Negotiations between the Rail and Maritime Transport union (RMT) and South Western Railway collapsed after the operator failed to put forward any proposals that could settle the dispute, according [...]
HS2 needs government support, not more dithering and debate November 21, 2019 Last week, a leaked draft of the HS2 review revealed recommendations that the controversial project should go ahead as planned. This has sparked some debate, with opponents citing the project’s escalating costs and delays. Yet, when builders’ timescales and budgets for even small-scale domestic construction projects are almost always optimistic and therefore taken with a [...]
Ten arrested in London over £15m money laundering plot November 20, 2019 Ten suspected members of an organised crime group were arrested in London today on suspicion of flying roughly £15.5m out of the UK to Dubai hidden in suitcases. National Crime Agency (NCA) officers, who arrested the suspects in a series of raids across the capital this morning, said they believed the group also tried to [...]
TfL deficit shrinks thanks to Ulez and increased Tube numbers November 20, 2019 Transport for London’s (TfL) first half revenues beat budget expectations by £260m, but the body still recorded a nine-figure deficit for the period. TfL’s second quarter results, released today, revealed a £111m operating loss for the first half of 2019-20 – a deficit reduction of 40 per cent compared to the same period in 2018-19. [...]
Hammersmith Bridge won’t be able to cope with electric double decker buses in ‘strange oversight’ November 20, 2019 An upgraded Hammersmith Bridge will not be sturdy enough for London’s current fleet of electric double decker buses in what’s been described as a “strange oversight”. The bridge has been closed indefinitely to vehicles since 10 April, with the Hammersmith and Fulham council seeking government funding for restorations. Read more: Hammersmith Bridge repairs could cost [...]
Uber partly to blame for driverless car death, says US watchdog November 20, 2019 Uber’s safety policies have been deemed as partly to blame for the death of a woman last year, according to America’s safety watchdog. Elaine Herzberg was killed in Arizona last year, after she was hit by a driverless Uber car. Read more: Uber launches new safety measures in attempt to secure long-term London licence The [...]
TfL nets an extra £51m from London commuters despite fare freeze November 20, 2019 London commuters will pay an extra £51m in fares next year, despite Sadiq Khan’s fare freeze. Figures from the mayor of London show that daily, weekly, monthly and annual travel cards will rise 2.8 per cent over the next year, raising £51m in revenue for TfL. Read more: Sadiq Khan confirms 2020 TfL fare freeze [...]
Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Siobhan Benita proposes TfL homelessness scheme November 19, 2019 An estimated £400m left unused on Oyster cards should be given to the homeless, according to the Liberal Democrats’ London 2020 mayoral candidate. Transport for London (TfL) released a report last week showing that £400m was left unused on Oyster cards. Read more: Sadiq Khan confirms 2020 TfL fare freeze Liberal Democrat mayoral hopeful Siobhan [...]
Ride-hailing app Kapten unveils London-first electric fleet November 19, 2019 Ride-hailing app Kapten has launched a fully electric fleet of vehicles, marking a London-first. Kapten launched its “electric class” fleet today, making it the first ride-hailing app in London to have an electric option on its app. Read more: Riding by: Kapten’s new CEO plots out the company’s future It consists of 1,100 battery electric [...]
Politicians need to take the brakes off e-scooters for a greener commute to work November 19, 2019 If you are stuck in traffic, watching another diesel taxi go past, you won’t be alone in wishing for cleaner ways to travel around London. New research shows that nearly 70 per cent of people don’t think politicians are doing enough to encourage alternative, environmentally friendly transport options. So, what are these alternatives? Right now, [...]