TFL | Westminster World

Nov82021 by Deborah (editor and video editor), Lily (reporter and writer), Pourush (reporter and social media), Jhelum (camera and social media).No Comments

Sexual harassment reports are much higher than pre-Covid levels

Breaking News, Explainers

Reports of sexual harassment on public transport in the UK have increased significantly this year comparing to 2019. As a response to that, TFL has launched a new campaign to tackle the issue and “emphasise zero tolerance approach to all forms of unwanted sexual behaviour and sexual harassment”. The behaviours such as cat calling, exposing, cyber-flashing, staring, etc. are highlighted in the campaign as examples of sexual harassment. Between April and October 2021 British Transport Police received 421 reports of this kind of offences, while two years ago the figure was 259 over the same period. Credit: BBC News According to a YouGov survey from 2020, up to 90% of offences are still not being reported. Westminster World spoke to the Londoners to find out their opinion

Londoners embrace e-scooters as rental trials are under way

Breaking News, Covid-19, News, TFL, Transport

As the demand for micro-mobility has been surging amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Londoners have also embraced e-scooters as an alternative form of transport. In early 2021, the city is expected to host the UK’s biggest e-scooter rental trial; with thousands of the two-wheeled vehicles hitting the streets of London. https://youtu.be/dBO6FaVx8uo (Video produced by Hai Anh Vu) Transport for London (TfL) unveiled their plan for the UK’s biggest e-scooter rental trial in late November. The twelve-month trial means e-scooters will be able to be used on roads and cycle lanes, but not on pavements or public walkways. E-scooter rental trial kicks off in early 2021. (Photo by Hai Anh Vu) Although it is now illegal to ride e-scooters on public roads, with riders at risk of facing a £

Commuter satisfaction remains high despite overcrowded trains

Breaking News, Explainers, Transport, Travel

Fast, overcrowded, unreliable, noisy, convenient… People from all across the world have an opinion on the London Underground. Especially the four million Londoners who use it to get around everyday. On the morning that a tragic incident at the Victoria tube station caused major disruption to the morning commute of several Londoners, we asked them what they really thought of London’s iconic public transit service. Interviews with the general public revealed that people were generally happy with the service that TFL provided with nearly all the interviewees commenting positively on the speed and overall reliability of the service. This is in line with the latest Transport for London performance figures showing user satisfaction at 85%. Regarding track failures and b

Dec112017 by Jane BracherNo Comments

London mum comes up with tracker vests that could save children’s lives

London, News, Transport

Children’s lives could potentially be saved in the busy streets of London through the safety vests and jackets of Sasha Pinnock. Pinnock, 29 and a businesswoman, came up with the idea of safety vests after a serious scare earlier this year when her daughter, 8, was on a school trip and close to Westminster Bridge as a man mowed down pedestrians in a terrorist attack. The single mum had no idea where her child was or whether she was safe, until the teacher confirmed it. In an effort to give parents like herself peace of mind when their children went on field trips, Pinnock developed a patented design of safety vests that were reflective, water-proof, and most crucial of all, housed a GPS tracker placed inside a pocket. Connected to an app available on Android and iOS, the tracker would

Nov202017 by Tom GeggusNo Comments

Kings Cross remembers fire victims 30 years on

News

Three decades have passed since the tragic Kings Cross fire, and Londoners came out to pay their respects. Saturday the 18th of November marked 30 years since a fire at Kings Cross station claimed the lives of 31 people and injured 100. Londoners gathered to pay their respect to those who lost their lives, including the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, representatives from TfL and London Fire Brigade. A short service was followed by a minute’s silence and wreaths were laid beneath the memorial plaque. Sadiq Khan tweeted about the memorial service Today at King's Cross station we came together to remember the 31 people including @LondonFire Officer Colin Townsley who died 30 years ago. pic.twitter.com/ADfr1nBFjs — Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) 18 November 2017 Mark Wild, the man

Oct162017 by Martin SteersNo Comments

Cleaners disrupt the Mayor’s Question Time

Politics

London Underground cleaners disrupted October's Mayoral Question Time in a protest about their pay and working conditions, claiming they are treated “like slaves”. https://youtu.be/DmhpWiTKNd4 (Video: Martin Steers) The protest organised by the RMT union outside of City Hall on Thursday aimed to raise awareness of a number of key issues, such as sick and holiday pay. This comes after ABM UK won the TfL cleaning contract this summer. This would mean cleaners wouldn't work directly for TfL but for ABM UK, as agency or freelance staff. “We need a decent wage, we need sick pay urgently”, proclaimed Richard Crane, an underground worker and RMT activist: “We are being treated like slaves basically”. The RMT are campaigning for cleaning to be brought back in house by TfL, for cleaners to be

Oct162017 by Lavanya SinghNo Comments

Sadiq Khan Promises To Make TfL Services More Dementia-Friendly

Bus, Politics, Transport, Travel, Tube

Mayor Sadiq Khan on Thursday committed to meeting with GLA Member Keith Prince and representatives of the Alzheimer’s Society to discuss ideas for making TfL journeys better for patients of ‘invisible impairments’, including dementia. Provisions for Alzheimer patients who use TfL services under Khan’s Transport Strategy were on the agenda during last week’s Question Time. Reiterating his commitment to making London the world’s first dementia-friendly capital, Khan paid special emphasis to improving Underground services to accommodate patients of dementia, especially staff training. “Since I became Mayor, TfL has hired 650 new staff; they’re all being trained in assisting customers with accessibility requirements, including people with invisible impairments. A trained Dementia Friends C

Oct162017 by Nikki OnafuyeNo Comments

London transport is the first service to become dementia friendly

News, Politics

The Mayor of London announced his strategy to make London the first public transport service in the city to become dementia friendly. (more…)