Business pushes government once again on airport decision after Gatwick records largest ever month of traffic August 11, 2016 Business groups have jumped on data showing Gatwick recorded its busiest ever month in its 80 year history to push for a decision on aviation capacity. Some 4.6m passengers travelled through the airport in July, up 6.9 per cent on the same month last year, while long-haul jumped 23 per cent. Business groups welcomed the news, but indicated it [...]
London’s night-time economy could be worth £43bn and an extra 115,000 jobs August 11, 2016 Unlocking London’s night-time economy will deliver a £3bn boost to the capital and help protect London from the economic shock of Brexit, a new report has argued. Research published today said the introduction of the Night Tube, along with a relaxation of licensing laws and other tweaks to help Londoners make the most of the capital [...]
Falling ill on holiday could cost you as much as a house, the Association of British Insurers warns August 11, 2016 The high cost of overseas medical bills means falling ill abroad could cost double the amount of an average UK house. Insurers are now processing claims from more than 3,000 British travellers per week who require emergency medical care while abroad, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI). While the average travel insurance claim [...]
Cashing in: RMT boss Mick Cash’s “telephone-number” salary sparks outrage as Britain’s commuters face three-pronged strike attack August 11, 2016 The union boss at the centre of a three-pronged attack on Britain’s commuters and holidaymakers earned £137,344 last year, outraging MPs and grassroots campaigners. RMT general secretary Mick Cash received a near seven per cent increase in salary and pension in 2015, at £8,900, for leading Britain’s 15th largest trade union. By comparison, Len McCluskey, [...]
Hundreds of security passes suspended at Heathrow amid police fraud probe August 10, 2016 Hundreds of airside security passes have been suspended at Heathrow. The employees who have had their passes suspended work for Sodexo, which supplies airline lounge services at the transport hub. A spokesperson for the company said: “We can confirm that, as a precautionary measure, the airside passes of approximately 300 employees were suspended but as this [...]
Transport for Lovin: London’s Speed Date Express made its first journey this morning August 10, 2016 Too busy to find love? Never fear: dating site Match.com has unveiled its new "Datemaster" bus service which allows time- (and love-) starved Londoners to speed date during their morning commute. The double decker bus has been designed for guests to enjoy their journey "in a manner rarely associated with the stresses and strains of the typical daily commute" [...]
Business groups hit out at RMT’s Eurostar strike August 10, 2016 The business community has slammed a union behind the strike scheduled to take place on Eurostar. The RMT union has said its members will strike from 12 to 15 and 27 to 29 August, while TSSA members will strike on 14, 15, 28 and 29 August. The news comes after RMT said its members on Virgin [...]
Mayor calls on the Prime Minister to back Gatwick Airport as government still silent on aviation August 10, 2016 The mayor of London has called on Prime Minister Theresa May to back Gatwick to expand aviation capacity in the south east. Khan said he has written to May to urge her on making a decision on what should be a top priority for the government and agree with him that a second runway should be built [...]
Rail union RMT announces more strikes – this time on the Eurostar August 10, 2016 Rail union RMT has announced more industrial action, with Eurostar workers set to strike over seven days this month, including the Bank Holiday weekend – over their work/life balance. RMT said this morning that Eurostar train managers would strike for four days from 12.01am on Friday 12 August until 11.59pm on Monday 15 August, with a [...]
TfL offers weekend of free Santander Cycles access to celebrate sixth anniversary August 9, 2016 It is the "Boris Bike's" birthday this weekend, and to celebrate Londoners will be able to access the bicycles free of charge. Transport for London (TfL) and Santander are making the bikes free for use for this coming weekend for journeys up to 30 minutes. Read more: Santander and Blaze team up to make cycling on [...]