Another great piece, thanks! I wonder if there's an unexplored avenue for law enforcement (possibly needing a law change): the card machine companies will also be profiting from all these illegal sales. If they were liable for the illegal income in some way, it might make them a bit less lax about which dissolved and reconstituted companies they were happy to issue accounts to 🤔
Really enjoying this newsletter. Thank you so much.
Your mention of Morden South reminded of when I used to work with Merton Council and we tried to persuade TfL of the merit of adding Morden South to the Northern Line.
When you look out Merton's 60s tower block offices you can see that after Morden station there are the sidings for all the Northern line trains and they reach all the way to Morden South so the track actually exists and we thought it wouldn't be beyond the wit of engineer to join it up. You then would have a link between the tootling south western branch of Thameslink and the Northern line.
Never quite worked out if it didn't take off because it was actually beyond the wit of engineer, we never got it to someone who had enough power to add something to TfL's extensive long list of potential capital projects or the people I spoke to all personally used the southern branch of the Northern line and were buggered if they were going to make it any busier.
Fascinating reporting as always, I do wonder what the yearly turnover of these operations are, there must be significant money in ripping off tourists, then again I suppose oxford street wouldn't exist if there wasn't.
Maybe one answer to the illegal ice cream vans is to have a *legal* ice cream van on the bridge, run by Westminster Council and charging less extortionate prices? Drive them out by market forces. And offer sightseers a reasonably priced cone.
Superb and fascinating reporting on an infuriating problem. I recall when I worked at the London Assembly over 20 years ago we were imploring Mayor Livingstone to intervene in the bureaucratic impasse and clear up all the illegal nut-sellers and ice-cream vans. Nothing has changed, except it has perhaps got worse.
Special constables have all the legal powers of regular police officers, they are just part time and unpaid. As with all police officers, special constables have police powers whether on or off duty.
Another great piece, thanks! I wonder if there's an unexplored avenue for law enforcement (possibly needing a law change): the card machine companies will also be profiting from all these illegal sales. If they were liable for the illegal income in some way, it might make them a bit less lax about which dissolved and reconstituted companies they were happy to issue accounts to 🤔
Hi
Really enjoying this newsletter. Thank you so much.
Your mention of Morden South reminded of when I used to work with Merton Council and we tried to persuade TfL of the merit of adding Morden South to the Northern Line.
When you look out Merton's 60s tower block offices you can see that after Morden station there are the sidings for all the Northern line trains and they reach all the way to Morden South so the track actually exists and we thought it wouldn't be beyond the wit of engineer to join it up. You then would have a link between the tootling south western branch of Thameslink and the Northern line.
Never quite worked out if it didn't take off because it was actually beyond the wit of engineer, we never got it to someone who had enough power to add something to TfL's extensive long list of potential capital projects or the people I spoke to all personally used the southern branch of the Northern line and were buggered if they were going to make it any busier.
When I worked around there I saw a graffiti 'Morden Life is Rubbish'
Fascinating reporting as always, I do wonder what the yearly turnover of these operations are, there must be significant money in ripping off tourists, then again I suppose oxford street wouldn't exist if there wasn't.
Just walked over the bridge, no sign of any ice cream vans etc. Maybe your article struck a nerve!
Funny that, there were 99 just the other day
Bit of a 'flakey' trade!
Very interesting article. I clearly lack the sort of criminal imagination required to thrive on that bridge.
Great article, and exactly the sort of story that deserves more attention.
Maybe one answer to the illegal ice cream vans is to have a *legal* ice cream van on the bridge, run by Westminster Council and charging less extortionate prices? Drive them out by market forces. And offer sightseers a reasonably priced cone.
There a movie somewhere in the Ice Cream wars story.
Superb and fascinating reporting on an infuriating problem. I recall when I worked at the London Assembly over 20 years ago we were imploring Mayor Livingstone to intervene in the bureaucratic impasse and clear up all the illegal nut-sellers and ice-cream vans. Nothing has changed, except it has perhaps got worse.
Special constables have all the legal powers of regular police officers, they are just part time and unpaid. As with all police officers, special constables have police powers whether on or off duty.