TfL announced today that they will not be renewing Uber's private hire operator's licence when it expires on 30 Sep 2017. They state that Uber's "approach and conduct" lack corporate responsibility "in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications".

TfL's concerns centre on Uber's alleged failures in regard to reporting serious criminal offences, obtaining medical certificates, performing DBS checks and active avoidance of regulatory oversight as a consequence of deployment of Greyball - an internal Uber software system first reported by the NY Times.

Uber says it has over 40,000 drivers registered with the app-based ride company in the London area.

Uber will have 21 days to appeal the decision.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said

I fully support TfL's decision - it would be wrong if TfL continued to licence Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners' safety and security.

IoC Chair Carl Lomas swept to final mile by express sector support

Shirt and tie, no Lycra for cycle run by IoC chair in Transaid cycle run from TfL HQ to final mile in Paris via courier company pit-stops with a hundred thousand tweets of energy and support of the family of express sector, Sunday celebration when Carl removed his  Carmen tie from a job well done for Transaid transport charity.

 
Mike Brown TfL launched Lomas and the #IOC4Transaid tweet followers on the London cycle superhighway last Thursday. Lomas went on the road on his cycle for four days. Citysprint, Steve Knibb organised  the first pit-stop at their Guildford office. Team Joanna, Rachael and Matt gave POB for a CitySprint breakfast heading for a Horsham BACA workwear fudge lunch by Marc Calder at the Ryman DHL High street drop shop. UPS Mike Cooper, Newhaven office saw Carl on the ferry where he landed Dieppe for the Saturday morning with a French laPoste electric cycle escort out of the city post codes. Rouen Cy'clic visit then a  run to Évreux. Sunday last push to Paris where Lomas joined fifty other Transaid cyclists set to raise a hundred thousand pounds for Transaid. DHL, XPO, Bullet from Glasgow all pushing air to slipstream  Lomas in an express sector peloton to the last mile finish.
 
Eiffel tower celebrations roared into applause as Lomas finally removed his Carmen tie from a job well done.

IoC Chair Carl Lomas vowed to complete the Princess Royal's Transaid charity cycle run from London to Paris at the May Microlise conference. Having never been on a cycle for twenty five years, it was a big ask for the IoC Chair, who has completed 500 miles training in the last six weeks, matching the 500 year celebration of the Carmen Livery with support from Carmen master Marsha-Rae Ratcliff.

Carl left Palestra House TfL HQ at 13h30 on Thursday 21st Sept wearing a business shirt and Carmen wheels of transport tie. Making use of the CS7 TfL cycle superhighway he headed onto an A3 route aiming for the next pit-stop with CitySprint Guildford office on Friday morning.

update 10h00 Friday 22nd Sep - The screens are busy today as IoC chair Carl Lomas gets a pit-stop at CitySprint Guildford. Ops Manager Steve Knibb and team (Joanna, controller Rachel and Matt) give the green light for POB in the GU postcode.

update 12h00 Friday 22nd Sep - Following the ups and downs of the Surrey cycle highway to Horsham for fudge lunch courtesy of BACA Workwear outside Rymans - DHL drop zone on Middle St. Horsham. Thanks to Marc Calder at BACA for sorting the Hi-Viz and their best promo fudge !

update 17h30 Friday 22nd Sep - onboard and on time - heading for Dieppe thanks to UPS depot manager for Brighton and Eastbourne Nick Cooper and team signposting the way to ferry lane 8, saving 2 miles of cycling through the heart of BN postcode.

update 08h45 Saturday 23rd Sep - Dieppe - a balmy seaside resort. A morning alarm from the seaguills ready to make the almighty push up the hill to Saint Aubin, Rouen and Évreux.

update 13h15 Saturday 23rd Sep - Rouen - In front of the cathedral cy'clic cycle hire - Évreux next !

update 07h00 Sunday 24th Sep - Évreux - Breakfast with #TransaidParis17 cycle leader Harry Wells. The "Who's-who" of UK transport cycling in the last leg to Paris in a start reminiscent of Le Mans. "Gentlemen and Ladies, please start your wheels...and we're off"...for another 80 miles !

update 16h30 Sunday 24th Sep - Paris - Eiffel Tower ! #TransaidParis17 is over, but the work of Transaid continues. Congratulations to all who took part or helped along the way.

Carl comments

I did 500 miles of 25 mile training runs in six weeks and the express sector finished the job with mega motivation to Paris.  A big thank-you to the Condor cycle team in Grays Inn Road who re-built the bike, a 25 year old TVT courier cycle, enormous thank-you to the Transaid cyclists bringing me in to those last miles, could not have done it without them, express sector is a family like no other.

  • May 2017 - Microlise Conference

    Lomas commits to ride for Transaid

  • Day 1 London: TfL HQ

    0km travelled - 376km to go

  • Day 1 Guildford: Olympic route

    46km travelled - 330km to go

  • Day 2 Guildford: CitySprint pit-stop

    46km travelled - 330km to go

  • Day 2 Horsham: BACA fudge lunch

    81km travelled - 295km to go

  • Day 2 Newhaven:UPS dockside

    136km travelled - 240km to go

  • Day 3 Dieppe: Rouen next !

    136km travelled - 240km to go

  • Day 3 Rouen: A cy'clic city

    200km travelled - 176km to go

  • Day 4 Évreux: an early start

    250km travelled - 126km to go

  • Day 4 Paris: Eiffel Tower

    376km travelled - destination reached

 

See Carl's progress in the slideshow above and in the  photo gallery

 

Sunshine record for Heathrow cargo

Air freight numbers on record growth in both UK logistics hot-spots Heathrow and East Midlands.

A twelve month full year run of records at Heathrow as cargo goes up another 13%  for the month of August.

Akabo Media organised the two-day multi-channel conference at the Connaught Rooms London WC1 as a strong retail mix to final mile logistics that was a diary must-do in the heart of London.

Dr Jonathan Gorst Sheffield Hallam University and return logistics expert chaired, opening speech by Ben Farrell, head of operations at John Lewis, ‘How to manage omni-channel from single channel, asymmetric retail and the customer experience.

IoC chair Carl Lomas followed, ‘measures to consider for retail deliveries’

Body Shop supply chain manager Simon Pattenden spoke on benefits of automation, Vinesh Patel, Sky covered the formula for better returns.

A host of network opportunities and panel discussions were then expertly orchestrated by Jonathan Gorst where retail met logistics to form next-generation solutions to final-mile.

 

Logistics guests for Spitfire fly-past at Northolt HQ of British Forces Post Office, BFPO.

IoC were guests of the British Forces Post Office boss, full Colonel Andy Moffat at their RAF Northolt HQ location for the annual RAF flypast.

Logistics close-up view for a Spitfire fly-past. RAF Northolt, West London is the longest-serving RAF air base; active as an air base in World War Two and the Battle of Britain. Group Captain MHG Carver explained the history of the base and its London cover for the Battle of Britain.

 

A perfect visit between the September rain showers for the Royal Mail Museum at Mount Pleasant London WC1 which opened in July this year.

If you can't get there, take a look at the history book, ‘Masters of the Post'

 

September 1st news - Menzies Distribution deal to acquire Gnewt Cargo.

London-based Gnewt operated by IoC fellow Sam Clarke runs more than a hundred electric vehicles in the City of London from arches in SE1.

Gnewt, which was founded in 2008, provides final-mile delivery services in central London for retailers, e-tailers and parcel carriers such as Hermes and TNT.

Last year, it made over 3 million deliveries in London using the UK’s largest all-electric fleet of commercial vehicles.

 

DHL is investing more than twenty million on three new sites - two are opening in November at Aberdeen and Milton Keynes, but the first is in October at Enfield.

Peter Fuller comments,

This investment in key sites is part of our strategic growth plan for the business. We’ve recently been awarded some major new contracts and we have ambitious targets to continue on this trajectory. To be successful we need to invest in the most effective infrastructure and equipment for our people to increase parcel handling capacity.

 

A pre-peak commitment to client with 45% more parcel capacity on the Hermes network. Rugby looks set to raise the bar once more as e-retail takes further High Street numbers to home delivery.

Hermes UK boss, Carole Woodhead,

This is the largest parcel hub of its kind in the UK. We are extremely proud to officially open our Midlands super hub.

 

Bob Holt CEO DX hands over to Ron Series mid August.

In the same week, DX and John Menzies have terminated talks on merger. ‘It was not possible to agree suitable terms for the deal.’

DX shareholder Gatemore, Liad Meidar,

Bob Holt’s stewardship of the company throughout a challenging period and believe that the board arrived at the right conclusion with the Menzies transaction. We strongly believe that with leading positions in document exchange, secure delivery and IDW freight, DX is well positioned to thrive as a stand-alone basis.