Gatwick Airport establishes Growth Board ahead of government’s long-awaited aviation decision August 15, 2016 Gatwick Airport has established a Growth Board (GGB) as it seeks to bolster arguments for a second runway ahead of the government's long-awaited decision on aviation capacity in the south east. Former minister for the Olympics and for London Baroness Tessa Jowell and former minister for transport Steve Norris will co-chair the group, examining the wider economic and [...]
Letting agents expect the Night Tube will push up rents near stations on the 24-hour service August 15, 2016 Letting agents are predicting there will be rent rises for homes near the tube stations that will be open for 24 hours on weekends as part of London's new Night Tube service. The service will start on the Central and Victoria lines on 19 August, making it easier for people living in places such as Epping and Walthamstow to [...]
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan boosts police funding by £3.4m to protect Night Tube travellers August 15, 2016 Around 100 extra police officers will be deployed when the Night Tube launches this weekend, as part of a £3.4m boost in security funding for the new 24-hour services. The British Transport Police (BTP) officers will patrol trains and all 51 stations on the Central and Victoria lines on Friday and Saturday night, Transport for London (TfL) [...]
Nuclear and renewables might keep the lights on – but nothing beats Britain’s home grown gas August 15, 2016 In the wake of the delay to signing the Hinkley C contract, there has been heated debate about nuclear and the gap left when coal-fired power stations are decommissioned. I’m a great supporter of both renewable and nuclear electricity as part of the energy mix. However, for the UK to meet its climate targets by [...]
Sadiq Khan is making the right noises on pollution problems, but London is lagging behind European counterparts August 15, 2016 Sadiq Khan has already had a considerable impact since coming into office, first with the T Charge and more recently with the introduction of ‘Air Quality Alerts’ across London. And today is the first day of new air quality alerts at bus stops, Tube stations and road sides across London during days of high and very [...]
How Edinburgh is driving the fintech revolution August 14, 2016 According to recent figures published by Innovate Finance, global investment in fintech has rocketed from $930m in 2008 to $12.5bn in 2015, with recognised tech clusters such as Edinburgh supporting London’s global dominance. Fintech is, to coin a phrase, white hot right now. It’s not only empowering new start-ups with the ability to launch disruptive [...]
Business and entrepreneurs pile pressure on Sadiq over Uber red tape August 14, 2016 Business groups and entrepreneurs have piled the pressure on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, warning that new rules clamping down on Uber will stifle innovation in the capital and its multi-billion pound digital economy as he attempts brand the city "open for business". New rules have drawn the ire of business groups and tech entrepreneurs, who labelled them a backwards step that threatened the [...]
More proof Southern’s still a total basket case after timetable changes August 14, 2016 After a week of travel misery among commuters with strikes on Southern Rail, commuters who feel like they're getting a raw deal will be unsurprised to hear that new figures show the operator continues to be beleaguered by cancellations and delays – despite efforts to improve. One in five Southern services are still not running on time, just [...]
Banning diesel cars is the wrong way to tackle pollution in London August 12, 2016 Everyone reading today’s copy of City A.M. wants clean air. But reducing pollution in our great city is a complex problem deserving of careful consideration and the adoption of a range of solutions. There is no magic bullet. Reducing emissions from all sources – whether planes, trains, cars or buses, or the polluting systems that [...]
Cross-party group of 11 London councils calls on Theresa May to back Gatwick expansion August 11, 2016 A cross-party group of 11 London councils is urging the Prime Minister to back Gatwick expansion over Heathrow. In a letter to Theresa May, the councils said there is a “broad and growing consensus behind Gatwick expansion” and pledged to work with ministers to support the “bold and ambitious project”. Their backing comes after mayor of [...]