National Express pens contract to run two German train routes September 25, 2013 NATIONAL Express is exporting the British rail experience to two train routes in North Rhine Westphalia, signing contracts yesterday in what the UK ambassador to Germany described as “a proud day for British business”. The company will run the regional services for 15 years from 2015 under the contract, taking over from incumbent state-owned operator [...]
Stay ‘Appy: five of the best iO7 apps September 25, 2013 Citymapper FREE Forget Googlemaps, Citymapper is the ultimate transport app for London. It’s easy to use, utterly comprehensive and a lifesaver when you’re out late and unsure of how to get home. Essential for Londoners. Runkeeper FREE Who needs a personal trainer when you’ve got a smartphone? Getting fit doesn’t seem so impossible when you [...]
How Labour can deliver on its pledge and tackle London’s housing drought September 24, 2013 HAROLD Macmillan made his reputation – and became Prime Minister – after delivering on his pledge to build 300,000 houses a year in the early 1950s. As Ed Miliband made clear yesterday, when he promised that a Labour government would ensure that 200,000 new homes were built annually by 2020, we now need similar ambition. [...]
Labour willing to drop HS2 before 2015 September 23, 2013 Labour is considering dropping support for the High Speed 2 railway before the 2015 general election, City A.M. understands. Ed Balls used his speech to the Labour conference in Brighton to question whether HS2 – which would link London to the midlands and the north – was the best way of spending £50bn on transport [...]
Cheaper train tickets planned for part-timers September 16, 2013 PART-TIME workers will soon be able to save money with flexible season tickets for their train journeys, under plans announced by rail minister Norman Baker yesterday. The Department for Transport will next year pilot the scheme on a London commuter route, which will offer cheaper season tickets for workers who only commute a few days [...]
Soak the rich: Lib Dem plans to hit those earning over £50,000 with higher tax bills September 16, 2013 In notes first published by City A.M., it has been revealed that the Liberal Democrats are looking for those earning over £50,000 to pay more in tax. The Liberal Democrat press team calls this "looking at how the richest … could make a further contribution". In these difficult times, it is important that everyone makes [...]
New East London warehouse for property company Segro September 16, 2013 The property investment and development company Segro has announced its acquisition of a warehouse in Barking, East London. The company purchased the site for £30m, and the purchase price of the warehouse represents a 6.9 per cent net initial yield. Segro view East London as an area with strong potential for expansion, given the vast [...]
City Matters: Britain’s seafaring past is still shaping the City’s culture and economy today September 15, 2013 WHEN people talk about the “City”, they often do so solely in terms of its banks – and financial services. These are a central element of what the City does, but this leaves out a whole side of the Square Mile that is just as important: the second thing we sum up in the handy [...]
Twitter’s float reminds us why we must privatise the Royal Mail September 12, 2013 COUNT on Twitter, that most modern of communication companies, to steal the thunder of the Royal Mail, an organisation founded by Henry VIII and now aiming to reinvent itself as a privatised, modern parcel delivery firm. For most of yesterday, the Royal Mail was the big story: the coalition confirmed the firm would be sold [...]
Lockheed Martin expands in Britain September 11, 2013 DEFENCE and technology giant Lockheed Martin plans to create 200 new UK jobs after its British arm won a $100m (£63.2m) IT contract with the new Nato headquarters in Brussels. Lockheed, which runs some of the Pentagon’s computer networks, said the roles will be spread across London and the south west of England. The company [...]