Tube to get wi-fi before Games January 23, 2012 London Underground passengers will be able to use wi-fi at 120 stations in time for the Olympics, a Transport for London boss has said. TfL oversaw a successful trial at Charing Cross last year, but there were fears of delays after telecoms firm Huawei pulled out of a deal to provide the network. But a [...]
From Kensington to Farringdon: why London’s prices are buoyant January 19, 2012 WHY ARE PROPERTY VALUES IN CENTRAL LONDON RISING FASTER THAN REST OF THE UK? Prices in Prime Central London are indeed out-performing the rest of the country. Over the last 12 months, average house prices across the UK have remained broadly stable, meanwhile in Prime Central London (PCL), prices rose by 12.1 per cent in [...]
Protesters face eviction after High Court defeat January 18, 2012 THE CITY of London last night called on protesters to leave the area around St Paul’s after it won a High Court battle against the group. Stuart Fraser, the City’s policy chairman, said the “public generally is losing out” from the presence of up to 200 tents outside the Cathedral. He spoke out after Mr [...]
Union rejects Tube Olympics deal January 17, 2012 Transport union the RMT has rejected a new pay offer from London Underground, warning that it could start dispute action if further progress is not made. The RMT said the offer of a £100 target-based bonus plus a £15 per shift payment during the Olympics for operational staff was “derisory, inadequate” and that it would [...]
PROTESTERS PITCH THEIR IGLOOS FOR ICY DAVOS January 16, 2012 THE STEIGENBERGER Grandhotel Belvedere may be only a three minute walk from the conference centre – but, really, there’s only one way to do Davos. In an igloo. Such is the sub-zero lot of the Occupy protesters, who yesterday unveiled their accommodation for the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort next week: Camp [...]
City slams high speed rail plans January 15, 2012 THE CITY has rejected the government’s controversial plan to build a £32.7bn high-speed railway linking London to the north. Fifty-one per cent of the City A.M./PoliticsHome.com Voice of the City panel, which represents a cross-section of London’s business and financial community, said they opposed the controversial railway known as High-Speed 2 (HS2). An overwhelming majority [...]
Private sector bidders line up to win MoD outsourcing contracts January 15, 2012 SUPPORT services firm Serco is in the running to win two key contracts at the Ministry of Defence. The group is believed to be battling IBM for the contract to manage back office services, such as human resources and finance, for the department. It is also thought to be up against Capita for the right [...]
RAPID RESPONSES January 15, 2012 Disagree with Nick I very much agree with Allister Heath’s comments on Friday [Clegg’s latest nonsense] about Nick Clegg’s initiative regarding job applications. As you say, the key is improving education, and not coming up with idiotic proposals such as this. I come from a pretty humble background, and had a solid, redbrick grammar school [...]
RAPID RESPONSES January 12, 2012 Back to school As a business studies teacher of many years standing, I read David Rutley’s column [Our schools must be open to business so we can have a bright economic future, Wednesday] with much interest. I agree wholeheartedly and believe much more should be done in order to promote the subject at school level. [...]
Miliband and PM lock horns over rail fares January 11, 2012 A TIT-FOR-TAT exchange between David Cameron and Ed Miliband erupted in parliament yesterday, after the Labour leader hit out at some 11 per cent hikes in rail fares. Miliband blamed the coalition for exorbitant fare increases, yet Prime Minister Cameron said the power to raise prices was given to train companies “by the last Labour [...]