Grant Shapps ‘optimistic’ of TfL bailout deal, but signals potential fare rises May 14, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said he is “optimistic” a deal can be struck to rescue struggling Transport for London (TfL), while signalling that fare hikes may be a condition of any bailout. Shapps said at today’s press briefing that a bailout was on its way for TfL, just hours after Sadiq Khan said he [...]
The Elizabeth Line in pictures: Our first look at Crossrail February 8, 2022 It’s almost here. Almost fifteen years after being granted approval by government, the Elizabeth Line is set to open in just months. City A.M. Editor Andy Silvester went underground to see the line’s progress – trusty iPhone camera in tow. I THINK people are going to be impressed” are TfL Commissioner Andy Byford’s last words [...]
Whitehall should not be able to escape TfL’s case for funding November 18, 2021 There is a brilliant, if possibly apocryphal, anecdote that emerged from the 2000 US election. Karl Rove, George W. Bush’s election strategist, was finally accosted by the journalists who had been following Bush on the campaign trail for weeks, reciting the same speech, city by city, state by state. The hacks begged Rove to change [...]
High Court says ride-hailing gig models are unlawful December 6, 2021 The High Court Administrative Court has refused Uber’s application to declare its controversial gig-economy business model lawful in a ruling this morning
London’s bosses call on Khan and Shapps to fix ‘broken’ transport system May 11, 2021 The capital’s business leaders have called on Sadiq Khan and Grant Shapps today to fix London’s ‘broken’ transport system. The top signatories included bosses of Canary Wharf, Arcadis, the ExCeL and the New West End Company, who all signed off on the joint letter to the Mayor and Transport Secretary. The letter follows months of political [...]
Coronavirus: Union bosses likely to put Tube strike on hold March 16, 2020 Union bosses have indicated they will delay a planned Tube strike during the coronavirus outbreak, after meeting with Transport for London (TfL) today. Members of the train drivers’ union Aslef last week voted to go on strike over a pay dispute. However, it appears the union, which has 2500 Tube drivers, is prepared to suspend [...]
Sadiq Khan calls coronavirus rental protections ‘inadequate’ March 25, 2020 Sadiq Khan has demanded for more support to be given to the capital’s renters during the coronavirus crisis in an escalation of tensions between the government and City Hall. Boris Johnson rolled out protections for renters last week, including a three-month mortgage holiday for homeowners, increases to the housing allowance and measures to prevent landlords [...]
Editorial: TfL deal needed as you can’t grow the UK with London in gridlock February 2, 2022 It is a strange and perverse mark of this government that it seems thoroughly uninterested in Britain’s most successful industries. Financial services were broadly absent from the treaty with the European Union, and barely feature in the post-Brexit discussions instead dominated by debates over our mackerel catch. It seems in a semi-permanent state of war [...]
TfL must be ‘realistic’ on mega-projects, says deputy mayor, as wait for long-term funding deal goes on July 3, 2021 Heidi Alexander has a lot on her plate. In normal times, overseeing London’s transport network as Sadiq Khan’s deputy mayor for the sector would be quite the job, what with keeping the capital’s commuters happy while delivering huge infrastructure projects like Crossrail. And that is before the pandemic left TfL operating on a shoestring budget, [...]
TfL should increase fares to promote social distancing, says think tank May 4, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) should increase fare prices at peak times once the coronavirus lockdown is eased, according to one of the country’s top think tanks. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) released a new report today, suggesting measures such as increased fare prices would act as a disincentive for people catching public transport once [...]