As freezing fog settles across the South East, here are all the travel delays and disruptions taking place in London in the run-up to New Year’s Eve December 30, 2016 New Year’s Eve can be a hectic period for travel, and this year has the added trouble of thick fog and ice causing concern, on top of a planned Southern rail strike. Drivers have been warned to be wary of fog and sub-zero weather conditions across large swathes of England. Freezing fog has settled in [...]
Londoners face Christmas travel headache as Paddington closes, Moorgate experiences disruption and M1 shuts down December 24, 2016 Engineering works on railways across the country have left passengers facing disruption, with London one of the most badly affected areas. There are no trains to and from Paddington until next Thursday to make way for Crossrail work, while severe disruption is expected between Finsbury Park and Moorgate until lunchtime at the earliest due to an electricity fault. A number of [...]
RMT’s Great Western Rail strike will go ahead tomorrow December 22, 2016 A Great Western Railway (GWR) workers' strike will go ahead tomorrow, the RMT union confirmed today. RMT members who are cleaners on the rail network will take industrial action over "serious bullying, claims of discrimination and poverty working conditions" on the GWR train cleaning contract operated by Servest UK. Members have been instructed not to book on for [...]
Southern rail court documents reveal Aslef has grander plans on driver-operated doors December 22, 2016 The drivers union at the centre of the Southern rail dispute doesn't simply want to stop further roll out of driver-operated doors, it is determined to ban the policy across all train services. The question of who operates Southern rail train doors is pivotal in the dispute that has led to waves of industrial action and blighted the network for much [...]
Editor’s 2016 review: It’s been a year of momentous political change, but there’s every reason to look to the future December 22, 2016 Attempting to reflect such an extraordinary year with just a handful of our own front pages was always going to be difficult, but I thought we’d give it a go. The front page of City A.M. is (to borrow a phrase from our marketing department) the front door of our brand. The choice of splash, [...]
Buses for trains? Unions say government plans will boost Go-Ahead revenues December 21, 2016 Unions have once again accused the owners of Southern rail of cashing in on the industrial action that has blighted the network. During Parliamentary questions yesterday, rail minister Paul Maynard revealed officials were working with the bus and coach body, the confederation of passenger transport, to "determine how bus and coach operators can best assist with providing [...]
The death of cash, the rise of trade unions and other eclectic 2017 predictions December 21, 2016 It’s certainly been an eventful year. But rather than dwell on the past, what sort of things can we expect in 2017? Here are a few eclectic predictions. Sweden may become the world’s first cashless economy. Notes and coins are already fast disappearing as a means of payment, and retailers are legally entitled to refuse to [...]
The Southern rail strike saga has cost the economy £300m already, says university study December 20, 2016 The Southern rail strikes are costing the UK economy hundreds of millions of pounds, according to new research from the University of Chichester. A study, led by Dave Cooper, professor of management and economic development, has put the cost of the strike saga to the country's GDP at as much as £300m. The industrial action, carried [...]
The RMT wants a Christmas truce over Southern rail saga – but says it’s in the government’s hands December 20, 2016 The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union wants a Christmas truce over Southern rail – only it says it's up to the government to make it happen. Commuters are battling through today's second day of delays as a 48-hour strike goes on by guards over proposed changes to their roles. There have been months of [...]
As militant unions plot Christmas misery, should strike action on railway services be banned? December 20, 2016 Keith Prince, deputy chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, says Yes. Strike action on public transport can have a devastating impact on commuters. Southern’s passengers have suffered huge delays, cancellations and some have lost their jobs because they can’t guarantee they’ll be able to get to their desks. This appalling situation cannot be allowed [...]