Maaxi taxi app gets backing from Ken Livingstone as he hails Nathaniel Rothschild’s new venture October 1, 2014 Former London mayor Ken Livingstone has thrown his backing behind financier Nathaniel Rothschild’s new taxi sharing app Maaxi, believed to be likely to launch in the next few weeks. In an open letter to taxi trade organisations, Livingstone said: “I have been using my experience and knowledge of London and its transport system to help [...]
Why I’m backing Maaxi – to launch a new black cab ride-sharing revolution October 1, 2014 GPS-enabled smartphones and apps have transformed urban commutes more than any technological advancement in the last 100 years, as former mayor Ken Livingstone outlines in a remarkable letter (see below), calling for action to ensure the controlled adoption of disruptive technologies in transport. While trains, buses and cars have evolved in speed and comfort, these [...]
Crossrail will send London property prices soaring by 60 per cent October 1, 2014 Crossrail’s high-speed rail service will not only provide millions with increased connectivity into the capital, but it will send house-prices along its route skyrocketing, new figures show. The £15.8bn Crossrail project has already had a profound effect on properties in London, with the prices of those near the large-scale Tottenham Court Road development rising [...]
More Tube chaos with delays and cancellations on the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines October 1, 2014 More chaos for London's Tube users this morning, after a broken-down train at Tottenham Court Road caused Transport for London (TfL) to suspend the line between Liverpool Street and Marble Arch. To make matters worse, the Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Circle lines were hit with severe delays while TfL fixed a signal failure at [...]
Forget Crossrail, Boris Johnson proposes south London Tube extension to Camberwell, Lewisham and Bromley September 30, 2014 Are you a south Londoner, fed up with the lack of Tube infrastructure, forced to rely on overcrowded overground trains for your daily commute? Me too. So maybe you should respond to this consultation over a proposed extension to the Bakerloo line, bringing the Tube out to New Cross, Lewisham, Bromley and Hayes. [...]
Uber makes peace with German taxi drivers September 30, 2014 Uber has launched its UberTaxi service in Berlin and Hamburg after a series of struggles with German courts. UberTaxi, which operates in London and New York, allows users to hail a licensed cab. Furthermore, Uber will be changing its UberBlack service to comply with Berlin regulations. The prices are, usually, lower than those of traditional [...]
Nat Rothschild enters Lions’ den to win over cabbies with Maaxi taxi app September 29, 2014 Financier Nathaniel Rothschild is to go up against controversial travel app Uber, launching a new ride-share application called Maaxi, which will facilitate cheaper black cab rides by grouping customers travelling to the same destination. He has teamed up with Argentine technology heavyweight Gabriel Campos, the former CEO of gaming website Pokerstars, to bring the [...]
Mobile phones cleared for use during flights across Europe September 28, 2014 In good news for Europe's air passengers, mobile phones and portable electronic devices (PEDs) have been cleared for use throughout flights. The European Aviation Safety Agency said there was no reason from a safety perspective for passengers to keep their devices switched off or in airplane mode. Devices that will be affected will include tablets, [...]
Indulge in Pippa Middleton’s favourite pastime in Oslo September 26, 2014 What do you think Pippa Middleton’s secret is? Cross-fit? Pilates, maybe? Wrong: cross country skiing. The Duchess of Cambridge’s sporty sister took on the infamous nordic skiing marathon at Vasaloppet in 2012, taking seven hours and thirteen minutes to complete the 90km course. Anyone who does that is going to be in the best shape [...]
Sorry Guv, i’m blockading the capital September 24, 2014 MORE than one thousand cabbies brought congestion to roads around Trafalgar Square yesterday in a demonstration against what they termed Transport for London’s “incompetence” in taking on taxi-booking app Uber, illegal minicab touting and electric rickshaws. The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association said it was also protesting at Mayor Boris Johnson’s planned 15-mile segregated bike route through [...]