London should take a cue from Paris to build transport of the future February 26, 2015 The Chancellor and mayor of London set out a long-term economic plan for the capital last week, challenging London’s transport authority and business community to make the case for much-needed infrastructure investment ahead of the next spending review. This commitment is hugely welcome. We desperately need to future-proof our transport network, as London’s population is [...]
Could one of these designs be London’s newest bridge from Nine Elms to Pimlico? February 26, 2015 One of the best things about having an enormous tidal river running right through your city is you can build a whole bunch of spectacular bridges across it. Tower Bridge is one of the most iconic structures in the world and, while London Bridge was falling down for a time, it’s now pretty sturdy and [...]
Focus on Hammersmith: The town where prices have grown by half February 26, 2015 When it comes to neighbours, Hammersmith has struck lucky. There can’t be another location in London that’s surrounded by such a cluster of affluent residential neighbourhoods. With Kensington to the east, Chiswick to the west, Fulham to the south and Shepherd’s Bush to the north, it’s a wonder this area is still known primarily as [...]
Green Belt shouldn’t be sacred: It can help solve London’s housing crisis February 25, 2015 There’s a good chance that, when you picture the Green Belt, it’s scenes of parkland, forests, and wetlands, thronging with animal and birdlife, that come to mind. So here is a question for you: how much of London’s Green Belt do you think is actually made up of environmentally-protected land, parks and public access land? [...]
Elephant and Castle named the most dangerous junction in London as top 10 cycle hotspots revealed February 25, 2015 The 10 worst hot spots for cyclists in London have been identified – and Elephant and Castle has been named the most dangerous junction in the capital. There have been 80 accidents between motorists and cyclists reported to police between 2009 and 2013, topping the list of locations surveyed by insurance giant Aviva. The next [...]
Wonga job cuts: The evolution of the UK’s top payday lender February 25, 2015 Wonga founder Errol Damelin Damelin establishes Wonga Wonga was founded by current chief executive Errol Damelin in October 2006. With the help of software engineer Jonty Hurwitz and venture secured from Balderton Capital, Damelin launched wonga.com in 2007. By June 2009, the company had reached 100,000 loans. The firm launched its iPhone app in December [...]
Double decker deal for Exponent Private Equity as group snaps up Big Bus Tours February 24, 2015 The former owner of thetrainline, Exponent Private Equity, has added another transport-related firm to its portfolio after snapping up sightseeing company Big Bus Tours. The mid-market buyout manager, which also owns Quorn Foods, and recently floated shares in HSS Hire, will buy the group from shareholders made up of two family backed groups. The Maybury [...]
What is mindfulness? And why does your office need it? February 24, 2015 Use it to replace personal negativity, team in-fighting or the feared office manager approach. In the modern office environment of instant information, immediate reaction, and 24/7 availability, it can be difficult to achieve any kind of mental balance – to deal with tricky situations or to tune out distractions. But there is something that [...]
Boris Johnson’s vision of a jetpack future is already here as Martin Aircraft Company takes off February 22, 2015 Looking to the future of London, Boris Johnson could only dream of a Jetsons-style space-age capital. “It may be that by 2020 we will all have learnt to commute with jetpacks, but until then, we need to invest in our existing transport modes,” he said a few years ago. Now, however, it seems the mayor’s [...]
24 Hour Party People? George Osborne and Boris Johnson confirm plans to turn London into 24-hour city February 20, 2015 London is just months away from taking tentative steps towards becoming a 24-hour capital, and the government is already planning the next phase. Chancellor George Osborne and London mayor Boris Johnson this morning confirmed a wider rollout of the 24 hour service across the Tube and Overground lines from 2017. That will follow [...]