Land Securities buys Moorgate site for £16.5m ahead of Crossrail launch February 16, 2015 Land Securities has bought the leasehold of a 1.9 acre site near Liverpool Street for £16.5m, paving the way for a huge regeneration ahead of the launch of Crossrail. Land Securities took out a three-year option to buy 21 Moorfields in 2012. Its previous owners had collapsed in 2010 and EY had been acting as [...]
Prime UK cities outperform as capital’s dwellers look west February 16, 2015 PRIME UK cities including Bath and Oxford enjoyed a surge in price growth last year as more Londoners tempted by the prospect of a bigger home, good schools and transport links moved out of the capital. Knight Frank data released yesterday showed prime prices in Bath increased by five per cent, in Oxford by 6.1 [...]
Reshoring could bring £15bn lift to UK economy February 15, 2015 BRINGING the manufacturing of goods back to the UK, or reshoring, could add £15.3bn of GDP to the economy by 2025 as the advantages of the developing world lessen. Over 315,000 new jobs could be created for the country as the labour, transport and regulatory costs of producing goods in places like China and Thailand [...]
Boris Johnson’s mini-Manhattan in Old Oak Common: Why we must speak up for local housing needs February 11, 2015 London’s population is at an all-time high. By 2020, we will have over 9m people living in our city; 10m by 2030. So it is essential that we plan for the growing needs of the capital. London needs a transport system fit for the 21st century. We need a thriving jobs market built on secure, [...]
Bus strikes postponed: Scheduled walkouts for Friday 13th and Monday 16th February won’t take place February 11, 2015 Bus strikes that were expected to bring the capital to a halt over the next week have been postponed, bringing relief to thousands of commuters. Drivers striking over pay have postponed 24-hour walkouts which were scheduled to take place on Friday and Monday, Unite has said. The union representing the bus drivers will enter talks [...]
Commuters face more Tube misery as RMT members vote to strike on Northern Line alcohol dismissal February 10, 2015 There's more Tube misery on the way for London commuters – members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union today voted in favour of a Tube strike, after a driver was dismissed for allegedly failing an alcohol breath test before he went on duty. The vote means the strike could take place any time [...]
Commuters, brace yourselves – another London bus strike is on its way. Here are the routes affected and companies taking part February 10, 2015 Bus commuters should brace themselves for the third strike in a month as nine operators plan yet more action over pay disputes. Transport for London is preparing for another 24 hours of major disruption on Friday February 13, followed by a fourth day of action on the following Monday (February 16). The transport group [...]
Goodbye Jammersmith, hello to Wombling free? Mayor Boris Johnson outlines radical plans to solve capital’s congestion headaches February 9, 2015 London mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled plans to reduce congestion and open up more land for housing developments and public space across some of London's busiest hubs. Five of the capital's biggest traffic pinchpoints – including the A4 in Hammersmith – are going under the knife as part of the plans, which will see [...]
Profits soar for Carlyle Group’s Addison Lee February 8, 2015 DESPITE increasing competition from smartphone apps like Uber and Hailo, minicab company Addison Lee continued to grow last year as its revenue and profits surged. The group, which was snapped up by private equity firm Carlyle Group in April 2013, said revenue rose 11 per cent to £196.6m during the year to the end of [...]
Spending on contactless cards triples in just one year February 7, 2015 Peoples' penchant for contactless cards pushed total spending on them to a record £2.32bn last year according to data from The UK Cards Association. This was three times more than last year's figure. Shoppers can make contactless payments of up to £20 by touching their cards against a reader. It means small purchases can be made [...]