National Portrait Gallery to close for three years November 5, 2019 The National Portrait Gallery announced today it will close to close to the public for three years to allow a £35.5m refurbishment to take place. The renovation work – which will begin next year- will include a new entrance and “significant” refurbishment inside the listed building. Read more: National Portrait Gallery drops donation from Sackler [...]
TfL mines passenger phone data to improve Tube journey estimates November 5, 2019 Tracking passengers’ phone usage on the Tube has allowed Transport for London (TfL) to improve its travel time estimates. TfL has analysed 2.7bn pieces of anonymised data since June, which has been gained through tracking people’s usage of Wi-Fi networks at stations across the capital. Read more: TfL is investigating illegal London minicab drivers This [...]
Jacob Rees-Mogg says sorry to Grenfell victims for saying they lacked ‘common sense’ November 5, 2019 Jacob Rees-Mogg has apologised to Grenfell victims for saying they lacked “common sense”. The Leader of the House of Commons said on Monday it would be common sense to have ignored the London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) advice to “stay and wait” during the fire, which killed 72 people. Read more: Grenfell report: Fire services’ serious [...]
London Underground has the city’s highest level of air pollution November 5, 2019 The London Underground is the most polluted place in the city with air quality 10-times worse higher than recommended by health guidelines in some parts. An investigation has revealed that levels of PM 2.5 – particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause heart and lung disease – has been recorded at [...]
This parliament has taught us the strength of our democracy November 5, 2019 The 57th parliament of the United Kingdom officially comes to an end tomorrow. It has seen off a Prime Minister, survived a prorogation that wasn’t, and failed to deliver Brexit. Decried by the attorney general as a “zombie parliament”, it has gone to the country in search of new brains. It will have a curious [...]
TfL is investigating thousands of potentially illegal minicab drivers November 4, 2019 Transport for London is investigating almost 2,000 London minicab drivers that may have illegally gained their driving qualifications. Minicab drivers must complete several requirements – passing topographical tests, medical checks and criminal record checks – with TfL before gaining a private hire vehicle licence. Read more: TfL cracks down on illegal minicabs and taxis However, [...]
TfL adds more trains to Victoria line at peak times November 4, 2019 The Victoria line has increased its capacity by 275,000 passengers each weekday after more trains have been added at peak times. Transport for London (TfL) announced today that one train will arrive every 100 seconds for three hours in the morning and evening – from 7.15am to 10.15am and from 4.15pm to 7.15pm. Read more: [...]
Police in Vietnam arrest eight over Essex lorry deaths November 4, 2019 Police in Vietnam have arrested eight people in connection with the discovery of 39 dead Vietnamese in a lorry in Essex last month, state media said today. UK police charged two men with manslaughter last month over the deaths of the group whose bodies were found in a container on a lorry in Waterglade Industrial [...]
Toxic Tube a health hazard for commuters November 3, 2019 Commuters on the London Underground inhale on average tens of millions of toxic particles a minute, including iron dust, clothing fragments and their fellow passenger’s dead skin cells. The Sunday Times has revealed that the Tube has some of the most polluted air in Britain, with levels of toxicity 18 times higher than on surface [...]
