Shifting arguments for the New Bus
7 hours ago
The New Bus for London is undoubtedly a striking addition to the streets of London but the arguments for it continue to change.
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Article written by Tom Edwards
Tom Edwards
Transport correspondent, London
7 hours ago
The New Bus for London is undoubtedly a striking addition to the streets of London but the arguments for it continue to change.
That's all from BBC Local Live for today. I'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 with more news, sport, travel and weather updates from across London.
Hello, hope you had a good weekend.
Tonight, the Met's new headquarters on Victoria Embankment and the competition to design it. Plus priced out of the capital - is London becoming too gentrified?
And we hear from Felicity Kendal and Strictly Come Dancing winner Kara Tointon on starring in the Alan Ayckbourn play Relatively Speaking in the West End. See you on BBC One at 18:30.
The head teacher of a London girl, aged five, who drowned in a hotel pool in Egypt has spent the day informing children at her school about her death.
Andy Mathieson described Chloe Johnson, from Forest Hill, south-east London, as a "popular little girl". She died on Friday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
A possible heavy shower is on its way to the capital this evening. It will be cloudy overnight, with minimum temperatures of 12C (54F).
Yet more cloud is forecast for tomorrow and Wednesday.
There are 25 minute delays to Southern trains in and out of Victoria Station this evening following an incident at Battersea Park.
Thanks for all of your comments today about the campaign protesting against the 'gentrification' of Brixton.
John Harris said " I currently live in Brixton and welcome gentrification", while Julian Niblick Chiu said: "Money quite clearly, talks."
You can read all the comments on our on Facebook page.
The debate about gay marriage is back in the Commons. The bill is being debated right now - with the Conservative Party deeply divided on the issue.
Do we need civil partnerships for straight couples? Would you want one? And if you love each other, does it matter how you're joined to your partner?
Join me on my BBC London 94.9 show.
Police have searched the Commons office of MP Nigel Evans in relation to a "serious arrestable offence".
The search of the Ribble Valley MP's London office, which took place on Sunday, was conducted after a warrant was approved by Preston Crown Court.
Tell us what you think of BBC Local Live. We'd like your feedback about this service.
Tom Hiddleston is to play the title role in Coriolanus as part of the autumn season at the Donmar Warehouse, in Covent Garden.
The Avengers Assemble star last appeared on stage at the tiny London venue in 2008.
Battersea Power Station has attracted more than $1bn dollars (£681m) worth of buyers since January, the Croydon Guardian reports.
It is part of the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area - the largest area in London undergoing redevelopment.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed the location for its new headquarters.
New Scotland Yard is to be sold and the force will move into the smaller Curtis Green Building on Victoria Embankment by 2015 to save money.
BBC London's Ayshea Buksh tweets from the Chelsea Flower Show: Highlight so far has been meeting the very lovely @RobBrydon - what a nice man!
A gunman tried to kill a disabled woman after he shot dead her partner, the Old Bailey has heard.
Daniel Bidace Anthony, 30, had already "executed" Dothan Gordon, 32, in his living room in Ealing, west London, before turning the gun on Amy Ashitey, the court heard.
The defendant denies charges of murder and attempted murder.
London-based radical cleric Abu Qatada is refused bail by an immigration tribunal in his latest bid for freedom.
Actress Jennie Seagrove has been speaking to Jo Good for her BBC London 94.9 show. She is currently starring in The Governess is at The Theatre Royal, in Windsor,
You can listen back to Jo's show on the BBC London 94.9
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere has tweeted a picture of the new England kit, which is set to be worn for the first time against the Republic of Ireland on 29 May.
Thanks to readers who have contacted us on Facebook about the campaign protesting against the 'gentrification' of Brixton.
Tel Aversion says: "If you ain't earning a considerable salary you can't afford anywhere inside Zone 3."
But John W Townsend says: "Good, Brixton used to be a dump."
What do you think? Is gentrification a good thing? Let us know by contacting us on Facebook, emailing locallive@bbc.co.uk or tweet us at @BBCLondonNews
Unwanted books consigned to the shelves of charity shops have been rescued by a bookseller and turned into works of art for a literature festival.
Mr Rowe uses a small scalpel to create his sculptures
Some of his art is now taking centre stage at the British Academy's free literature week celebrations in London.
A man was rushed to hospital with burns in the early hours of the morning after a blaze broke out on the Regent's Canal narrow boat he was aboard, Islington Gazette reports.
The penalty charge for not paying the congestion charge increases by £10 to £130 from today.
This is the third increase in the penalty charge since the congestion charge was introduced more than a decade ago.
A pioneering programme to test cancer patients for nearly 100 risk genes is to start in London and could represent the future of treatment in the NHS.
Today I'll be joined by actress Jenny Seagrove to chat about her role in The Governess.
Plus I'll be talking about casinos and hearing about how one woman lost £150,000 and how one man made $10m.
Join me on BBC London 94.9 from 15:00.
When Chelsea Flower Show director Stephen Bennett, showed me around the grounds for today's story, we bumped into Alan Lee, a new Chelsea Pensioner who was excited about going to his first show.
Youth club leaders are jumping 15,000 feet from a moving plane to raise £10,000 for a minibus, the Fulham Chronicle reports.
Nick Sazeides and four other thrill-seeking staff from The Sulgrave Club, in Shepherd's Bush, will take the plunge on 31 May.
The Royal Horticultural Society temporarily lifts a ban on garden gnomes - normally deemed too "tacky" - at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Garden historian Twigs Way charts the public's long love-hate relationship gnomes.
There is a campaign protesting against the 'gentrification' of the south London area of Brixton, claiming it is raising rent and property prices forcing local people out.
What do you think? Is gentrification a good thing? Are you struggling with rent and struggling to get on the property ladder?
Let us know by emailing locallive@bbc.co or tweet us at @BBCLondonNews
BBC London Travel tweets: M25 still v slow anticlockwise j17-j16 - all lanes re-opened after earlier accident blocking 2 lanes.
We've introduced BBC Local Live to bring you the latest news, sport, travel and weather all in one place. Tell us what you think.
Plans to install a secure weapons bin - where knives and guns can be deposited anonymously - outside a Bermondsey Church, have been turned down by Southwark Council, the London SE1 community website reports.
BBC London arts correspondent Brenda Emmanus tweets:#DonmarWarehouse reveals Autumn Season. new play by #NickPayne. Josie Rourke directs #TomHiddleston in Coriolanus. #Exciting!
Abu Qatada wants to spend time with his family before leaving the UK, an immigration tribunal has heard.
His lawyer Daniel Friedman QC is requesting the release of the radical cleric, who has been in south-east London's Belmarsh Prison since March when his bail was revoked.
Join me at 13:30 on BBC One and find out more about the competition like no other - designing Scotland Yard's new headquarters by the Thames.
I'll also be speaking to the artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, in Covent Garden, as they announce their productions for 2013.
They have a lot to live up to with Nicole Kidman, Sir Ian McKellen and Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes all having worked at the theatre in the past.
There's a row about a graffiti-ridden, skater hangout under threat on London's Southbank.
These graffiti and skating "colonies" are all over the UK, writes BBC News online's Vanessa Barford.
Some brighter spells this afternoon but also one or two isolated heavy showers. Feeling warm though with a maximum temperature of 20C (68F).
Staying cloudy overnight, some light rain in the early hours. Expect a minimum temperature of 9C (48F).
The Queen will be given a sneak preview of the Chelsea Flower Show later, ahead of its public opening tomorrow.
But the show's slightly more eccentric sister - the Chelsea Fringe - has already opened, offering exhibits and displays including an edible bus stop and a gnome invasion.
The New Bus for London is undoubtedly a striking addition to the streets of London but the arguments for it continue to change.
This isn't a normal transport project - its roots are deeply political and as such it's a chameleon - and can and will be used to influence the political landscape.
The London Literature Festival opens at the Southbank Centre today with readings by some of the 2013 Man International Booker Prize nominees.
Islington Council says it plans to spend more than £500,000 repairing potholes caused by this year's long winter.
The money will be used to mend local roads damaged by snow, ice and rain during the exceptionally wet, cold weather.
Scotland Yard has confirmed the location for its new headquarters as the force prepares to sell off its current landmark site amid budget cuts.
The Met's new headquarters as of 2015 will be the Curtis Green Building on the banks of the Thames, the former Whitehall police station.
I'll be broadcasting my show live from the Royal Chelsea Flower Show, which is celebrating its 100th year.
Join me on BBC London 94.9 from 12:00
BBC News Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw tweets: The entrance to Scotland Yard's new HQ. Refurbishment budget about £30 million.
Essex Fire Servicetweets: Our crews at the scene of a fire yesterday morning involving 12 lorries and around 100 lorry tyres. #M25 J29
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas says it is vital the club keep Gareth Bale if they are to improve next season.
The Chelsea Flower Show celebrates 100 years this week. Have you ever been? Share your best photos and stories from the show with us.
Tweet @BBCLondonNews, find us on Facebook or email .
BBC London political correspondent Karl Mercer tweets: The new new Scotland Yard... Where the old one used to be... deputy mayor and deputy commissioner launch competition.
Architects from around the world have been invited to submit designs for the new Metropolitan Police headquarters in central London.
Expect 20 minute delays on Southern Trains into London Bridge and Victoria until lunchtime.
Elsewhere, there are no major problems reported on the roads or London Underground.
Get up-to-date travel information on Twitter @BBCTravelAlert or on our travel page.
Ealing Police are inviting local residents to see inside a 'mock' drugs factory in an effort to crackdown on the growth of such crimes, Ealing Today reports.
Overseas demand pushes the average asking price on a London property past half a million mark the Evening Standard reports.
BBC News science correspondent Jonathan Amostweets: We're at the Science Museum for the announcement of @astro_timpeake's ISS flight in 2015.
The last woman to be pulled alive from the 7 July bombing on the Piccadilly Line has been given an honorary degree from Kingston University, reports Your Local Guardian.
Gill Hicks, who lost both legs in the bombings, was made an honorary doctor of science.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has mapped the towns and boroughs London councils move homeless people to.
Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest between them have each seen more than 1,800 properties and B&B rooms rented by other councils since 2009.
The strict ban on gnomes populating gardens at Chelsea Flower Show has been lifted, for one year only.
To mark the show's centenary year, gnomes have been painted by celebrities including Sir Elton John to raise money to involve young people in horticulture.
Architects from around the world have been invited to submit designs for the new Met Police headquarters in central London.
The force is due to leave New Scotland Yard in Victoria and move to the smaller Curtis Green Building on Victoria Embankment in 2015.
The amount of time asthma patients spend soaking up the sun may have an impact on the illness, researchers at King's College London say.
A team said low levels of Vitamin D, which is made by the body in sunlight, was linked to a worsening of symptoms.
More than 150 illegal gambling machines have been seized in Haringey in the last 10 months, the Ham & High is reports.
It does not really make sense for one of the most prestigious flower shows in the world to be squeezed onto two football pitches by the River Thames.
But the Chelsea Flower Show has been going for 100 years.
Here's my feature about how what has been described as the "rather too small show" is celebrating its big birthday.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas insists his side will recover from the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League and make an even more powerful challenge next season.
On my show we will be talking about the issue of gay marriage which will be will be debated in the Commons again later . Our MP's can't agree on what should happen. What do you think?
Listen to the Vanessa Show from 09:00 on BBC London 94.9 or call her on 020 7224 2000
Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark Cathedral tweets: Hear the cathedral organ today at 1.10 for the last time before it is removed for repair. #SouthwarkCathedral
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said reaching next season's Champions League was vital for his club's ability to attract top players.
A grey start to the day with the odd spot of rain. But it will gradually brightening up and feeling warm in any sunshine. Temperatures could reach as high as 21C (70F).
A documentary film-maker from London tells the BBC about having his film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
Yannick Oho Bambe's work looks at the London riots of 2011 and uses dance and poetry to express his thoughts about the events.
Overrunning works at the Streatham Hill Depot mean there are some cancellations or delays of up to 45 minutes on Southern trains coming into London Bridge and Victoria.
Tickets for all Southern services will be accepted on the Overground, Southeastern, First Capital Connect and on London Buses.
And in Swanley on the A20 westbound, one lane is closed after a collision, causing very heavy traffic.
Get up-to-date travel on Twitter @BBCTravelAlert.
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