Bad news, commuters: Southern Rail conductors have just voted for a strike December 15, 2015 Bad news, Southern Rail commuters: conductors working for the train operator have voted in favour of a strike over staff shortages. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said 70 per cent of staff balloted on the issue voted for the action to take place. The ballot result will now be considered by RMT’s executive, [...]
RMT confirms 17 days of DLR strikes in 2016 December 4, 2015 Rail Union RMT announced today that there will be a series of strikes on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) next year, as part of an ongoing dispute over working practices. The strikes, which will run between January and March, are over a number of issues, including DLR operator Keolis Amey's use of agency staff. Last month, DLR workers went [...]
Trade Union Bill explained: Will it prevent strikes? What does it mean for employers? Here’s everything you need to know November 9, 2015 Some have called it an "attack on workers' rights", others have defended the plans – either way, the government's proposals to impose a minimum turnout of 50 per cent has left employers scratching their heads. Here's everything you need to know about the Trade Union Bill. Explain the new threshold rules Under the existing rules, [...]
DLR strike passenger advice released by TfL: Jubilee, Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines expected to be much busier as commuters seek alternative routes October 30, 2015 Transport for London has issued passenger advice for commuters affected by the forthcoming 48-hour strike on the DLR, with services "unlikely" to run because of the disruption. The strike has been called by transport union RMT over a dispute with KeolisAmey Docklands, which operates the DLR on behalf of TfL. It is due to start at 3:59am on 3 [...]
Seven points to ponder from Jeremy Corbyn’s alternative to the northern powerhouse October 26, 2015 Jeremy Corbyn has been under pressure from more moderate Labour politicians for his economic plans, but what does he want to achieve in his desire to see the North returned to a "great engine of prosperity" and how would he do it? Here are the seven things to take from Corbyn’s “Northern Future” proposals. The [...]
London can revive its industry and double house-building by getting creative with its space October 18, 2015 The average Briton spends eight hours and 41 minutes using digital devices each day, according to Ofcom – more than they sleep. It is therefore little surprise that we are also the biggest online shoppers in Europe, and this rapid growth in e-commerce partly explains London’s resurgent industrial sheds market, required to stock goods. Transactions [...]
London Bridge is UK commuters’ least favourite train station October 8, 2015 If there's one thing Londoners like to complain about, it's its transport system – but now new research has revealed exactly how London's train stations compare to each other and to the rest of the country. A survey of nearly 11,000 commuters by TransportFocus found that between April – June 2015 customer satisfaction levels for London Bridge to be [...]
Conservative party conference 2015: Why the Tories’ infrastructure plans won’t cut the mustard October 5, 2015 Party conference season is in full swing, and infrastructure is at the top of the agenda for good reason. The announcement to restart the electrification of the two key railway lines last week, coupled with the chancellor’s four-point infrastructure plan announced at the opening of the Conservative party conference, show this government’s commitment to overhauling [...]
RMT union finally reveals Night Tube dispute was down to pay rises, telling TfL “where’s our pay increase?” September 23, 2015 The same union that insisted its Night Tube strikes were over staff's work-life balance is now making veiled threats over the one thing it insisted it was never about: a pay rise. In fact, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) workers' union is calling for staff to receive a “decent offer” for pay even [...]
Transport for London secretly make a geographically accurate Tube map and it’s strangely hypnotising September 17, 2015 The London Tube map that's been in use since Harry Beck designed it in 1931 may (rightly) be lauded as a classic feat of design, but with all those 45-degree corners and straight lines, it doesn’t come particularly close to reality. Journeys that appear only a few hundred metres in length on the map sometimes [...]