Uber taxi app heads to Leeds as Unite union cabbies protest October 22, 2014 Uber is set to make its presence felt in the North of England with a planned launch in Leeds: the taxi app has filed an application with Leeds City Council to become a private hire operator. But even before the company had the opportunity to make its mark on Leeds transportation, a group of demonstrators [...]
Apple Pay is only the start: Mobile wallets are about to take off October 21, 2014 It’s here folks. Well, in the US at least. Yesterday, a string of American retailers (including Bloomingdale’s, Foot Locker and Toys R Us) started accepting Apple Pay transactions, allowing consumers to make payments through credit card information stored on the new iPhone. Exciting stuff, but haven’t people been predicting the end of cash for some [...]
HS2 names trio of infrastructure stalwarts to company board: Christine Emmett, Neil Masom and Baroness Jo Valentine October 20, 2014 HS2 has taken another step towards construction after three new non-executive directors were appointed to the board. Christine Emmett, Neil Masom and Baroness Jo Valentine have all been appointed by secretary of Transport Patrick McLoughlin. “Jo, Christine and Neil, working with the existing members of the board, will bring the cumulative experience we need for [...]
Commuting to London: Three in five passengers will have to stand on Thameslink’s new Siemens Class 700 trains October 20, 2014 If you commute into London each morning, make sure you have a comfy pair of shoes with you – you'll be spending most of your time standing up once the government's new German-built Siemens commuter trains are introduced. The “Class 700” trains will start running from 2016 along the Thameslink and Great Northern routes, [...]
Taxi app Uber referred to HMRC by TfL over tax complaint by Margaret Hodge October 15, 2014 Uber, the smartphone taxi app, has been referred to HM Revenue & Customers by London’s taxi and minicab regulator Transport for London (TfL). The referral follows a complaint by Labour MP Margaret Hodge that Uber’s Dutch operating firm Uber BV does not pay tax in the UK and was “opting out of the UK tax [...]
Spanish airport operator Aena takes over the reins at Luton October 13, 2014 AENA Aeropuertos, Spain’s biggest airport operator, will take control of Luton Airport this week when it inks a deal to boost its ownership of the transport hub. Aena is set to increase its ownership of the site to 51 per cent from 40 per cent. The Spanish government, which currently owns Aena through its holding [...]
London Underground cuts Tube delays October 13, 2014 You might not believe it, but official figures show that the number of delays on the London Underground this summer has fallen year-on-year. During what Transport for London calls periods three and four (the month to June 21 and again to July 19), delays fell by eight per cent and 20 per cent respectively [...]
Tube strike called off as new RMT boss claims concessions October 9, 2014 STRIKE action due to go ahead next Tuesday was called off yesterday following talks between Transport for London, the RMT union and mediator Acas. The strike action was called by the RMT’s new director general Mick Cash. “The RMT has been able to secure significant movement in three key areas which have allowed our executive [...]
Don’t politicise airport expansion: Heathrow is the only option for a global UK October 9, 2014 AS PARTY conference season comes to an end and we close in on the 2015 general election, it is critical that the future of the UK’s aviation capacity is not politicised. When the Airports Commission hands down its recommendation next year, the country needs a quick decision from government with cross-party support. This debate isn’t [...]
London Tube strike called off after RMT union makes “substantial progress” October 9, 2014 The 48-hour Tube strike that was due to take place next week has been called off after unions said they had made “substantial progress” in talks. The strike had been scheduled to start at 9pm on Tuesday and run until 8:59pm Thursday evening, and had been called over the threat of around 900 job [...]