One of the problems with writing about the tube for a week, is that lots of other non-tube things happen and you can't write about them. Because that's what proper bloggers do. They spot news stories appearing on mainstream news websites, which they link to in case you haven't noticed them, and then they tell you what they think. My deepest apologies that I haven't been able to do this recently. So I thought I'd better spend today catching up. I'll be a proper blogger yet.
Monday: I noticed a story on the Evening Standard website which I thought I'd bring to your attention. Apparently there are plans to build a cable car over the Thames between North Greenwich and the Royal Docks. Well, sheesh, who needs that? I mean, I know a lot of people go to the O2 and a lot of people go to ExCel, but how many people are going to want to travel from almost near one to almost near the other? I think it's all a cunning ploy to lure tourists to part of London which most of them would never dream of visiting otherwise. What do you think?
Tuesday: I noticed a story on the BBC website which I thought I'd bring to your attention. Apparently there are plans for Tower Hamlets council to take legal action over the re-routing of the 2012 marathon away from the East End. Well, sheesh, who needs that? I mean, I know shifting the entire race into the centre of town for tedious logistical reasons was the act of bunch of brand-obsessed fuckwits who don't give a toss about local communities. But taking the Olympic bigwigs to court, that's just throwing your toys out of the pram, and elected politicians should know better. What do you think?
Wednesday: I noticed a story on the BBC website which I thought I'd bring to your attention. Apparently there are plans to extend the area covered by Boris's cycle hire scheme into Tower Hamlets. Well, sheesh, who needs that? I mean, it'll be great for cycling wannabes within a small patch of East London, but what's the other 90% of London supposed to do? With the scheme due to launch in spring 2012, I think it's all nothing but a cheap ploy to get Boris re-elected. What do you think?
Thursday: I noticed a story on the Evening Standard website which I thought I'd bring to your attention. Apparently there are plans to build a new kind of Routemaster bus with swooshy windows and curvy edges, and the first physical replica has just been delivered. Well, sheesh, who needs that? I mean, I know people used to love the old hop-on hop-off workhorse, but this is an expensive vanity project that London can ill afford. With the first five buses due to launch in early 2012, I think it's all nothing but a cunning ploy to get Boris re-elected. What do you think?
Friday: I noticed a story on the BBC website which I thought I'd bring to your attention. Apparently there are plans to extend theNorthern line from Kennington to a new megabucks development at Battersea Power Station. Well, sheesh, who needs that? I mean, I know we shouldn't knock the possibility of new tube stations, but this looks suspiciously like a property developer offering to build a line to nowhere useful (except to themselves). The entire power station's already semi-surrounded by railway lines, and yet they want to build a new one? I think it's all nothing but speculative privateering. What do you think?
