Delaying Crossrail 2 would strangle London – and the private sector can help pay for it August 7, 2014 One of the most encouraging things about ministers considering an extension of Crossrail to Hertfordshire, giving commuter towns like Tring and Hemel Hempstead direct access to the City and Canary Wharf, is that it shows a commitment to long-term planning that has too often been absent in the UK. Admittedly, it’s rather late to be [...]
Investment Comment: European earnings could be set to come back with a bang August 5, 2014 There is a question mark looming over European equities – when will companies deliver on earnings? So far, underwhelming earnings growth has done little to support the market’s upward march. In our view, that is poised to change. The Eurozone has a real and sustainable economic recovery underway, following four consecutive quarters of positive [...]
Boris Johnson dismisses Uber as “excessively bumptious” August 5, 2014 London Mayor Boris Johnson has criticised the attitude of San-Fransico based firm Uber as "excessively bumptious." Johnson, speaking on LBC, added that he didn't like the way Uber were "moving into London and claiming they could take all this business away from black cabs." The company's rapid growth and penchant for innovation have clearly not conformed [...]
London buses: Now you can pay fares by tapping in with a mobile August 4, 2014 In the march towards a future where you can do everything through your mobile phone, London buses are the latest to get on board. Contactless payment system Cash on Tap is being accepted by TFL on all London bus routes and works in the same way as an Oyster card or contactless card. Handy if [...]
City exec who dodged £43k in train fares quits Blackrock and avoids FCA probe after being named August 3, 2014 A passenger caught dodging £43,000 of train fares earlier this year has been revealed as a former managing director at asset management firm Blackrock. Jonathan Burrows has been named by the Daily Mail as the man believed to have avoided paying thousands of pounds for travel between his home in Stonegate in Sussex to his [...]
Uber’s tax status slammed by Labour MP August 1, 2014 Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and Labour MP Margaret Hodge has condemned the tax arrangements of the popular taxi app service Uber in a letter to London Mayor Boris Johnson. According to Hodge, Uber has “unfairly undercut London operators by opting out of the UK tax regime". The Labour MP is unhappy that the [...]
14 plans for London transport by 2050: From 24/7 Tube to Crossrail 3 July 31, 2014 London Mayor Boris Johnson has said £1.3tn of investment is needed in the capital over the next 35 years in order for London to retain its world class status. Transport is the biggest focus of the "London Infrastructure Plan 2050", and £973tn of spending is needed on transport alone to keep up with the rising population [...]
Boris Johnson reveals £1.3 trillion plan to fix London’s water shortages July 30, 2014 As London races towards a record population size of 8.6m people next year, topping its previous population record in 1939, it could face daily water shortages of up to 60m litres, according to the latest figures from Thames Water. By 2050, as London reaches an expected population of 11.3m people in the capital, its daily [...]
How £1.3 trillion needs to be spent on city infrastructure by 2050 for London to stay competitive July 30, 2014 London Mayor Boris Johnson has outlined ambitious investment plans to improve the capital’s infrastructure which could require £1.3tn of spending from now until 2050. As London’s population continues to expand, the “London Infrastructure Plan 2050” outlines the spending needed for the capital to remain one of the world’s leading cities. Transport and housing make up [...]
London 2050: Devolve powers to the capital to tackle its £1.3 trillion infrastructure challenge July 30, 2014 IN THE next few months, a record will be broken: London’s population will rise above 8.6m, the highest since records began. And the capital’s phenomenal growth isn’t expected to slow any time soon. According to projections by the Greater London Authority, the city’s population could increase to 11m by 2050. But for all London’s current [...]