TfL takes control of Woolwich Ferry after ‘unacceptable’ delays February 10, 2020 The Woolwich Ferry will be brought back under Transport for London (TfL) control after being plagued by severe delays under the current contractor. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced today that the service would be brought back into City Hall ownership at the end of the year, after deciding not to renew the contract of [...]
Hola, Ola: Meet the latest app to fight for Uber’s London crown February 10, 2020 Transport for London’s (TfL) decision not to renew Uber’s operating licence late last year split commuters down the middle, but the controversial ride-hailing app’s rivals have seized the opportunity to stake their claim to the capital. Uber’s effective ban came over concerns it had not done enough to protect Londoners after TfL identified a “pattern [...]
FTSE 100 firms increase women board representation to a third, review finds February 8, 2020 A third of board positions at companies in the FTSE 100 are held by women, a review has found. The latest report from the Hampton-Alexander Review found 349 women sit on boards at the UK’s biggest firms. The government said the review’s “fantastic work” had seen it hit the target almost a year early. However, [...]
The financial services sector will be key as we chart a new course on the world stage February 8, 2020 The UK’s financial services sector has charted a pragmatic course since the EU Referendum, and recent figures show that it continues to flourish. Indeed, research from Innovate Finance revealed how investment in the UK’s fintech sector reached a record high of nearly $5bn in 2019, with industry growth far outstripping that of the US, China, [...]
Sadiq Khan urged to end ‘culture of cronyism’ February 6, 2020 Sadiq Khan has been accused of presiding over a ‘culture of cronyism’ in City Hall after his night czar was paid an extra £1,000 for taking part in a drag act to mark the 2019 borough of culture celebration. The mayor gives £1.3m to the winner of London’s borough of culture which in 2019 was [...]
Free the e-scooters and unleash a British transport revolution February 6, 2020 The e-scooter revolution is happening at breathtaking speeds — but because of archaic laws, the United Kingdom is missing out. E-scooters can be legally purchased in Britain, and have become an increasingly common sight on the streets. They are, however, unlawful for use on public roads, cycle paths and pavements under the Highways Act 1835 [...]
Government defends handling of SWR’s future after union says passengers are left ‘in limbo’ February 5, 2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has denied claims by a major union that it has left passengers and staff “in limbo.” The RMT union has demanded the government provide an update on talks to secure the future of the troubled South Western Railway (SWR). However, the government has defended its handling of the process. “We [...]
Digital sector contributes £149bn to UK economy amid tech boom February 5, 2020 Digital companies contributed £149bn to the economy in 2018 as the UK retained its position as a leading tech superpower. The figure, which equates to £400m per day, means the digital sector accounts for 7.7 per cent of the UK economy as a whole. Growth in the thriving tech sector was also six times larger [...]
Greenpeace blocks BP’s London headquarters on Bernard Looney’s first day February 5, 2020 Bernard Looney’s first day as BP boss got off to a challenging start this morning as the firm was forced to shut its headquarters after Greenpeace activists blocked the doors to the oil giant’s London office in St James’ Square. A hundred Greenpeace activists delivered 500 solar panels with a total area of over 800 [...]
Square Mile sees few signs of Brexodus February 4, 2020 The number of job relocations from the Square Mile to the EU has remained far short of the thousands predicted when Britain voted to leave in 2016. Catherine McGuinness, leader of Canada, told Reuters that the numbers of bankers and insurance and asset management staff moving to EU subsidiaries was between 2,000 [...]