The whole UK will suffer if London loses out in the Brexit aftermath July 25, 2016 Just over a month on from the EU referendum and some semblance of order appears to be returning to Whitehall. We have a new Prime Minister and Cabinet. Ministers have started talking about things other than Brexit – such as transport policy and defence. Debt markets look calmer for now. But Brexit is clearly going [...]
It’s 350 years since the Great Fire of London and we’ve still not fully learnt its lessons July 25, 2016 The Great Fire of London, which happened 350 years ago this September, destroyed more than 13,000 homes and 87 churches as it blazed for four days. Thousands of timber buildings, crowded together, proved highly susceptible to the flames. If such a fire engulfed the City of London today, we estimate the cost in insurance pay-outs would [...]
Golders Green station reopens as police give all clear July 25, 2016 Golders Green station in north London has reopened after police gave the all clear following a security alert. The underground station had been evacuated and closed earlier this morning when police were called to deal with an abandoned car outside the underground station, but Barnet police have since said there was nothing suspicious about the vehicle. [...]
Ed Cooke talks octogenarians, Paradise Lost, why Citymapper will be the biggest company in the world and girls on bikes July 25, 2016 I consider learning and memory to be exactly the same thing. "Think about artificial intelligence: that’s really artificial memory. It’s funny that most people privately doubt their intellect, but they’ll often volunteer that they have a bad memory, not low intelligence. It’s something to do with memory being seen as a selective mental skill, I [...]
Dover delays: UK to help with French security checks July 24, 2016 UK border control staff will help with French security checks to reduce the huge delays at Dover. French authorities have increased controls at the border in the wake of terror threats, and combined with a larger number of people taking a summer break, it has resulted in hours of delays for motorists in the area. There were hold [...]
MPs call for “urgent” decision on airport expansion July 24, 2016 A final decision on expanding the UK's airport capacity needs to be made "urgently", a group of MPs have said, with further delay putting the economy at risk. A report from the British Infrastrucutre Group (BIG), a cross-party group led by Grant Shapps, urged Theresa May to make a decision "to show the new leadership's mettle". Read more: Heathrow [...]
London travel watchdog calls for action on Southern Rail July 22, 2016 London TravelWatch has called for an independent review of the Southern Rail franchise, after the train company slashed the number of services it provides. The independent travel watchdog, which is funded by the London Assembly, said it was greatly concerned "about the continuing poor performance and unreliability that Southern Rail passengers are facing". London TravelWatch [...]
The UK is owed more than £300,000 in unpaid parking fines from embassies and foreign missions, according to the Foreign Office July 21, 2016 Foreign embassies owe a total of more than £300,000 in parking fines, according to figures published by the Foreign Office today. In addition to more serious offences, almost £500,000 of fines were levied through 2015, with just £161,328 either paid or waived by local councils, Transport for London and the City of London. In a [...]
Treasury Committee chair Andrew Tyrie demands airports update from new chancellor Philip Hammond July 21, 2016 New chancellor Philip Hammond is facing demands from parliament's influential Treasury Committee to publish more information on the government's arguments for airport expansion. Committee chair Andrew Tyrie has written to Hammond, and accused his predecessor George Osborne of "obfuscation and delay". In his letter to Hammond, Tyrie said: "For nearly 40 years, there has been much talk, but [...]
Sadiq Khan urges Transport for London to take “immediate control of Southern Rail” until problems are resolved July 20, 2016 Transport for London should take immediate control of Southern Rail until problems on its lines are resolved, the mayor of London has said. Sadiq Khan has come out today to voice concern over the service and state he urgently wants to put a top TfL team in charge of failing Govia Thameslink Railways' Southern franchise. [...]