Osborne faces a delicate balancing act on train ticket hikes August 14, 2012 WHEN the majestic Shard formally opened earlier this summer I was interested to learn that its architect Renzo Piano only catered for 48 car parking spaces in the building’s bowels. “It’s another big shift,” he was quoted as saying. “To tell people, look, stop going around in cars.” Piano’s thinking makes a lot of sense. [...]
Commuters are sick of fare rises: Let’s plug the democratic deficit August 14, 2012 COMMUTERS are suffering from more than just the symptoms of an Olympic hangover. Once again, the annual ritual of fare increases is upon us. Some newspaper headlines have declared increases of 11 per cent. In fact, the average increase for the so-called “regulated basket” of fares, due to come into effect in January 2013, is [...]
Sterling could win from London’s Olympic success August 13, 2012 FX360 HOSTING the Olympics is an honour for both the city and the country where it is held. One of the major benefits is the financial investment – sporting facilities are built or upgraded, public transport is overhauled, and businesses flock to the area. But what happens after the stadiums empty and the medals are [...]
Virgin to fight franchise loss August 12, 2012 VIRGIN Trains is preparing to mount a legal challenge to its expected loss of the West Coast main line franchise this week. The Department for Transport is ready to announce as soon as tomorrow that FirstGroup has won the £6bn-plus franchise, which will run from December 2012 to March 2026. Virgin Trains has run the [...]
Battle of the cabs: Hailing competition in London’s transport August 12, 2012 WHEN I lived in Monaco, I had Ferraris. Now, living in London, I have a basic car but barely use it. The hassle of parking and traffic have made me a cab and minicab user, and I’ve recently noticed interesting things going on in their business world. Cabs have had two unique selling points. Unlike [...]
London firms give mixed views on the benefits of the Olympics August 9, 2012 LONDON businesses think the Olympics provided less of a boost in demand than they anticipated, claims a survey by Deloitte. Some 42 per cent of firms said they have seen a positive impact on demand since the start of the games compared with 27 per cent who reported a decrease. But this is in stark [...]
CITY VIEWS | CAN THE OLYMPICS LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY? August 8, 2012 GREG MURRAY LLOYDS It depends on how well the site is integrated and the transport links are maintained. If we continue to fund our sports well then further success is guaranteed in the future. MALCOLM BIRD RR DONNELLY I think that much of the Olympic buzz will fade after the Games. But the Olympic park [...]
The Santa Fe bar with a useful lesson for London’s Olympic organisers August 7, 2012 IT NOW seems like a distant memory, as London has again filled up with shoppers, tourists and people celebrating Team GB’s historic gold medal haul. But last week, the city was notoriously labelled a ghost town, despite official predictions that the capital would be heaving. No doubt, Transport for London had used its hugely complicated [...]
MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR August 6, 2012 A SUCCESSFUL campaign has the power to become one with the company it advertises, to end up as iconic as the brand it represents. The final shortlist for City A.M.’s marketing campaign of the year award attempts to portray a snapshot of advertising in the last year, showcasing a range of themes, designs, products and [...]
SIGNS OF LIFE AFTER SHOPPERS RETURN August 5, 2012 LONDON’S retailers were handed a welcome boost over the weekend as shoppers flocked back to stores, though figures released today show Britain’s high streets have seen their worst monthly sales in almost a year. Footfall picked up in the second half of last week and over the weekend, with the capital’s retailers reporting a leap [...]