UK lockdown: Pedestrian activity soars 25 per cent as Londoners get back to work May 19, 2020 Pedestrian activity in the capital soared 25 per cent yesterday as more Londoners got back to work following the government’s updated UK lockdown rules. Yesterday’s surge was the first big jump in weekday numbers since the government changed its message from “stay at home” to “stay alert” earlier this month. The lag in pedestrian activity [...]
Covid-19 will boost London’s status as leading tech hub, says industry chief May 18, 2020 The coronavirus crisis will bolster London’s position as a leading global tech hub as society becomes increasingly reliant on the digital economy, a top industry boss has said. Russ Shaw, founder of London Tech Advocates, told Morning Wire that the Covid-19 pandemic will “catapult London forward” and help cement the UK’s status as a “tech [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for coronavirus inquiry into BAME deaths May 17, 2020 Sadiq Khan has called for a government inquiry into BAME deaths from coronavirus. Khan today called the higher rate of deaths among BAME ethnicities “shocking” and called for Boris Johnson to set up a public inquiry. Numbers published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this month revealed that black men and women were four-times [...]
Central London’s streets to be car-free under new mayoral plan May 15, 2020 Miles of London’s streets will be car-free under a new plan announced by the mayor to encourage cycling and walking and to help the transport system cope with social distancing. Sadiq Khan said the plan would transform parts of central London into one of the largest car-free areas in any capital city. “Covid-19 poses the [...]
London now counts ‘just 24’ new coronavirus cases per day May 15, 2020 Fewer than 24 people are now catching coronavirus on a daily basis in London, according to new research suggesting the capital could soon be virus-free. The research by Public Health England and Cambridge University suggests London could be coronavirus-free as soon as June, based on new modelling statistics. The capital’s virus reproduction rate – known [...]
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 [...]
UK coronavirus deaths rise by 428 to 33,614 May 14, 2020 The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has risen by 428 to 33,614 people, according to the Department of Health. The latest death toll counts those who tested positive for coronavirus and died by 5pm on 13 May. The health department said there have been 2,219,281 coronavirus tests as of 9am today, with 126,064 [...]
494 more UK coronavirus deaths in last 24 hours May 13, 2020 Another 494 Brits have now died from coronavirus, according to government count of confirmed cases released this afternoon. The new figures bring the total to 33,186 UK coronavirus deaths since the outbreak hit British shores. And another 3,242 people tested positive for coronavirus yesterday to bring the total to 229,705 cases in the UK. The [...]
City Hall report: A quarter of London businesses on brink of collapse May 13, 2020 Almost a quarter of London businesses are on the brink of collapse, according to new figures from City Hall. A YouGov survey commissioned by City Hall’s London Growth Hub found 23 per cent of the capital’s businesses won’t last more than two months of the coronavirus lockdown, which began on 13 March. The report found [...]
Exclusive: UK-Japan trade deal to give London a £383m per year boost May 12, 2020 A potential UK-Japan free trade deal would provide a £383m boost to London’s economy each year, Morning Wire can reveal. Estimates from the Department of International Trade, and seen by Morning Wire, show a trade deal between the two nations would be a major boon to the capital, particularly its financial and professional services industries. [...]