City Matters: St Jude’s storm was a stark reminder why we need more transport investment November 3, 2013 ONE week on from the biggest storm London has seen in nearly thirty years, and the capital’s railways are back on track. The travel chaos was an uncomfortable reminder of how crucial the smooth running of London’s transport is to Londoners’ ability to go about their business. The two largest transport projects currently on the [...]
Labour firms up commitment to High Speed 2 October 31, 2013 LABOUR yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway, following weeks of speculation that it could drop support for the new north-south link. Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh told the House of Commons that Labour are the “the true friends of HS2”, despite recent speculation that shadow chancellor Ed Balls was willing to cancel [...]
Sponsored tube stations could fund free 4G, lifts, TV screens and underground toilets October 30, 2013 Sponsorship of the Oyster system and other sponsorship opportunities could allow Transport for London (TfL) to actively improve stations – introducing free wireless and 4G connectivity, TV screens, lifts, and even toilets for passengers. The report “Sealing the Deal: TfL sponsorship feasibility study” by Gareth Bacon of GLA Conservatives says that there is a potential [...]
HS2 benefits downgraded again October 29, 2013 Department for Transport lowers forecasts to reflect soaring budget for the new railway THE GOVERNMENT scaled back the forecasted benefits of the High Speed 2 railway yesterday, but insisted that the £50bn project will still be a huge positive for the economy. The full Y-shaped route from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds is now [...]
Expansion in the United States helps revenues at Stagecoach October 29, 2013 RAIL and bus group Stagecoach got its investors revved up yesterday after it said trading had been good since April. Stagecoach said its UK buses outside of London had delivered five per cent like-for-like growth in the 24 weeks to 13 October. In London, extra revenues from transporting spectators during last year’s Olympics sent like-for-like [...]
Letters to the Editor – 30/10 – HS2 flaws, Housing mobility, Best of Twitter October 29, 2013 HS2 flaws [Re: FTSE bosses lose faith in HS2, yesterday] That half of the surveyed FTSE 100 bosses are now against HS2 further underlines why the project has deep faults. The business case for HS2 is flawed, highlighted by the government’s own report, which lowered the expected benefit-cost ratio and revised an assumption that business people [...]
FTSE bosses lose faith in high speed 2 October 28, 2013 LEADERS of the country’s biggest companies are losing faith in the planned High Speed 2 railway, a poll out yesterday showed, in spite of a renewed push by the government to convince businesses that the project will benefit the economy. A poll of 34 of the FTSE 100’s chairmen found that 49 per cent believe [...]
MPs doubt Thameslink railway upgrade will complete on time October 28, 2013 THE LONG-RUNNING Thameslink railway upgrade project could miss its intended 2018 completion date, a group of MPs warn in a report released today. The public accounts select committee said it is “not confident” that new trains for the cross-London route will be delivered on schedule – because it took the Department of Transport three years longer than expected [...]
London wakes up to damage after storm hits October 28, 2013 LONDON was battered by 70mph winds and heavy rain yesterday, leaving at least four people dead across southern England and putting severe pressure on the city’s transport links. More than a hundred trees fell across train tracks leading to the capital, meaning most operators cancelled and delayed morning services. Services on the Overground were cancelled [...]
Transport bosses in stay-at-home storm October 28, 2013 READERS that chose to stay at home rather than face the chaos that was the St Jude storm yesterday were in excellent company. Several witnesses due in front of the House of Commons transport committee, including representatives of British Airways, Heathrow, Gatwick and the Local Government Association, were unable to show up. Even some of [...]