TfL braces for crisis

Does anyone else get the feeling that the dark clouds of doom are hovering over Londoners (and those travelling to and from London by rail)?

The Crossrail project, run by TfL and the Strategic Rail Authority, has asked PR firms to pitch for a £250,000 crisis communications account.

So far, consumers have protested about:

• The £14.8bn price tag
• A perceived lack of respect paid to environmental impact
• Kicking businesses out of their properties to make way for stations and tracks
• Spending a quarter of a million quid to prepare senior executives to deal with the inevitable shit-storms this project will kick up, both in its construction, and in its doubtless subsequently severely-flawed operation

OK, that last one's just me to date, but I said what you were all thinking.  Unless you're a crisis comms specialist.

"Crossrail external affairs director Louise Brooker-Carey said: ‘Crossrail is seeking specialist training and advice to review existing procedures and provide crisis comms training to our leadership team and those overseeing tunnel and station construction.’

I just bet it is.

"The pitch document calls for ‘high level’ crisis comms training and to test Crossrail’s comms strategy and plans."

'High level crisis comms training' translates into English as "learning how to respond to politicians and industry regulators whilst conveniently ignoring or trivialising any issues brought up by punters - I mean the paying public".

Choo choo!

UPDATE: a seven minute delay to the train from Wimbledon to Hampton Court coming home this evening.  £17.50 more for the coffers.


Made it onto the 08:24, thanks to better traffic conditions than yesterday, and aggressive (but accident-free, at least in my immediate vicinity) driving.  That train was delayed by eight minutes for no particular reason, which meant I had to get a later Bakerloo Line train than planned.  This one, however, ran on time, so I ended up 'only' eight minutes late at my final destination, Edgware Road.  Or, as TfL likes to call it "on time".

In other news, if you're a retailer in Holloway, TfL is trialling the latest endeavour in its evil master plan to choke commerce in the entire city of London: fining people for shopping.

Hello Russia

A surprising number of Russians seem to read this blog, though I can't imagine why.  Are you all British expatriates missing the smooth running of London's transport system?  I know at least one is not.  And to any others that are not, I just want to take this opportunity to say Ваше здоровье!

Which I hope is a nice sentiment, and not a joke from my former client.