Both meaningless and meaningful, the phrase ‘driverless trains’ is a recurring one in London politics. In this piece, we explore the reality behind the phrase and what it means in a London context.
Continue readingCategory: Boris Johnson
The Rise and Fall of a Vision: Wrightbus Enters Administration
Northern Irish bus manufacturer Wrightbus, most commonly identified in London with the manufacture of the New Bus for London (NBfL), has entered Administration. Questions first began to surface about the firm’s long-term viability in July, …
Continue readingThe Metropolitan Line Extension: Deadline Day
On 26 March 2015, outgoing London Mayor and current Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson issued Mayoral Decision MD1478. Based on a cost estimate only 50% likely to be correct, London agreed to fund a transport project, with no cost ceiling, that primarily benefitted a Conservative marginal seat outside of the capital. This is the story of the troubled Metropolitan Line Extension to Watford.
Continue readingBike To The Future Part 3: The Board Meeting That Wasn’t
On Wednesday 4th February 2015 TfL held a board meeting. It was one quite different in nature from most, for in essence there was really only one important item to be discussed: Item 7 – …
Continue readingLondon 2050 (Part 1): The Trillion Pound Time Warp
In both science and science fiction, time warps are where there is a multi-dimensional fold in the space-time continuum which allow the traveller to pass from one space-time environment to another, as easily as stepping off an escalator at Kings Cross. The London Infrastructure Plan 2050 (‘London 2050’), published in July by the Mayor and directed by Isabel Dedring and many GLA staff, TfL and other colleagues, is an attempt to provide the London of today with a blueprint for such a transition to the London of tomorrow.
Continue readingA Brief Guide to the 2014 TfL Fare Increases
After a much longer wait than is typical, this morning the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced the fares levels that will apply to TfL services and National Rail services within the TfL zonal area …
Continue readingWhere the Roads Run Red: The Future of London’s Buses (Part 1)
Earlier this year the London Assembly Transport Committee decided to investigate both the current state of and future prospects for London’s bus network. Their investigation process involved two public meetings at City Hall, an online …
Continue readingBig Changes Gonna Come (Part 2): A New Approach to Ticket Sales
In Part 1 of “Big Changes” we took a look at London Underground’s proposed plan for running nocturnal Tube services. Here in Part 2 we now turn to the other major change to the Underground …
Continue readingBig Changes Gonna Come (Part 1): The Night Tube
Last Thursday at Piccadilly Circus, in front of a small crowd of journalists and television cameras, Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Mike Brown, MD of London Underground, pulled the covers off of a new …
Continue reading"New Bus For London" Mockup delivered to Acton Depot
Wrightbus’ “New Bus for London” mockup has been delivered to the Tranport Museum’s Acton depot. The model is intended to allow stakeholder feedback to be captured and the design tweaked, with the first working prototype …
Continue readingConservative Conference: Boris Johnson’s Speech
Unsurprisingly, Mayor Johnson’s speech at the Conservative Party Conference today focused heavily on London Transport. The full speech can be found here. Key extracts are repeated below, with edits for political points and non-Transport sections. …
Continue readingIn A Nutshell: The Ticket Office Debate
Wednesday morning saw a rather unusual scene unfold at City Hall. The London Assembly Plenary had barely started when, en masse, the Conservative Assembly Members present walked out, leaving the meeting inquorate and thus having …
Continue readingIn Pictures: The New "Bus For London"
Today saw the unveiling of the new “Bus For London.” As yet, details beyond the basic are not yet available – today’s coverage seems very much aimed at encouraging comparisons with the Routemaster and emphasising …
Continue readingIn The Quest for Rear-Entrance, Is The True Routemaster Legacy Being Lost?
Listen carefully. The sound you can hear is the Whiplash Lawyers Association rubbing their hands together as they drool over TfL keeping them in the manner to which they have become so accustomed. In April …
Continue readingNew Routemaster Contract Costs Revealed
Saturday’s Times reported that the first of Boris Johnson’s new Routemaster buses will cost £1.6 million each, with five of the hybrid vehicles to be built under the £7.8 million contract awarded to Northern Ireland’s …
Continue reading