Rethinking the commute: How to travel happier on the Tube, according to Arup – the architects for Copenhagen’s Cityringen February 29, 2016 How much happier would Britons be if they had better commutes? According to recent research, Londoners have the longest commutes in the UK – 49 mins on average. However, with train delays, missing drivers and unpredictable weather all making commuting more stressful than a role in the air force or riot police, what are the repercussions for Londoners’ [...]
Unified Response: London police, ambulance and fire crews test UK’s biggest ever multi-agency disaster training exercise as tower “collapses” into Waterloo Tube station February 29, 2016 London's emergency services are taking part in the biggest training exercise in London Fire Brigade's 150-year history, to see if the various agencies can cope in the wake of a major disaster. Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance and NHS England London are among the agencies taking part in the exercise, which is being coordinated by the London [...]
City Moves for 29 February 2016 | Who’s switching jobs February 29, 2016 KPMG KPMG has appointed Sue Kershaw as a director in the UK firm and UK head of infrastructure programme and project management. Sue, who is a board member of the Association for Project Management, brings over 30 years’ experience as a civil engineer and programme manager to the role. Sue joins from CH2M HILL where [...]
Businesses in Marble Arch team up to launch improvement district February 29, 2016 Businesses in Marble Arch and Edgware Road have backed plans to invest £2.5m in sprucing up the west London area after launching a new business improvement district (BID). Over 78 per cent of businesses, retailers, restaurant and hotels from Marble Arch and northern Park Lane voted in favour of setting up the new group to [...]
London airport expansion: 1922 Committee chairman Graham Brady hits out at government over runway delay February 29, 2016 A leading backbencher MP is set to slam the government today over its move to delay a decision to build another runway in London and the southeast. Graham Brady, the Conservative MP who chairs the influential 1922 Committee, is expected to table a so-called Early Day Motion criticising the government over its indecision and urging ministers to deliver a [...]
From pensions taxes to the EU referendum to the Elizabeth Line: Here’s what got you reading this week February 27, 2016 1. A pensions tax bombshell Former pensions minister Steve Webb wrote on Sunday that George Osborne is preparing to drop a "tax bombshell" on pensions savers by scrapping the tax-free lump sum. Find out what the chancellor may have planned here. 2. The EU referendum There was no escaping from it: wherever you looked, another politician [...]
The amount we spent on contactless cards trebled to £7.8bn in 2015, with the payment method proving particularly popular with London commuters February 26, 2016 The way we're spending is changing, with the value of transactions on contactless cards soaring last year, according to research released today. The study by The UK Cards Association discovered that spending on contactless cards hit £7.8bn in 2015, up 233 per cent from £2.3bn in 2014. The number of transactions carried out contactlessly also rose to [...]
As City Airport is sold to consortium of Canadian and Qatari investors led by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Borealis Infrastructure, it’s time to let it expand February 26, 2016 The debate about airport capacity in the UK has been dominated by the two giants of Heathrow and Gatwick. Vital as this decision is, it shouldn’t drown out the pressing need to make the most of existing infrastructure assets, including the popular and efficient little airport that sits in the Thames to the east of [...]
Is TfL lighting the way with its new interiors for the London Underground? February 25, 2016 While most of us can appreciate the marvel that is the London Underground – especially those who have travelled on the Paris and New York equivalents – few actually enjoy using it on a day-to-day basis. So TfL has hired architectural lighting firm Nulty+ and saddled them with quite a challenge; making your commute more [...]
Memo from business to politicians: Don’t let the EU referendum paralyse real governing February 24, 2016 So now it’s official. Britain’s politicians and opinion-formers will spend the next four months in hyper-drive, as they seek to convince the public of the case to leave or remain in the European Union. Many Westminster-watchers have already cleared the decks, reasoning that little else will get done while megaphone diplomacy, claims, and counter-claims dominate the [...]