Telecom news

• The London Buzz – 17th August 2026

  17-08-2026 18:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Old London – Lancaster House, once home to the London Museum
  Today’s London news round-up:
  Extension of ULEZ and switch to electric cars is cutting pollution from vehicle exhaust emissions in High Barnet town centre Barnet Society
  A 50-year-old man has been charged with arson after several fires were reported in an east London park. BBC News
  Excavations around Gallows Corner have started to be backfilled as Essex & Suffolk Water makes “good progress” with its works. R
  
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• Plans to replace the Wandsworth Roundabout adverts with… adverts

  17-08-2026 17:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The large metal loops that dominate the Wandsworth roundabout could be replaced with a timber tree-like structure.
  Source: planning documents
  The Wandsworth Roundabout is a major traffic interchange in South West London, forming a critical node where several significant routes converge. Apart from the subways for pedestrians, it’s dominated by the huge metal “pretzel” that supports four large advertising screens.
  Now they want to replace that with a new structure to support the
  
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• Another date announced for the Barbican Conservatory plant cuttings giveaway

  17-08-2026 15:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  If you’ve ever wanted to own a little piece of the Barbican Conservatory, you’ll soon have the chance, as another date has been announced for their free plant cuttings giveaway.
  Conservatory space (c) ianVisits
  Note that the propagated cuttings vary in size depending on the host plant, and you will not be adopting a fully mature plant from the Conservatory. They will be given to you free of charge and in good health, so you can continue growing them at home.
  The event takes place on
  
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• Elephant & Castle station’s Northern line entrance closed until late September

  17-08-2026 14:36 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Elephant & Castle tube station’s Northern Line entrance is expected to remain closed until late September while engineers investigate and repair a water ingress problem affecting the lifts.Northern line trains will continue to stop at Elephant & Castle as normal throughout the closure, but passengers will need to use the station’s Bakerloo line entrance to enter and leave the station.
  As it happens, the station was already recommending that northbound Northern line passengers
  
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• Knit Wits exhibition: when SIBLING made knitwear loud, strange and fun

  17-08-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  There was a time when knitwear largely meant sensible jumpers, Christmas presents from relatives and the sort of cardigan that suggested an early night.But an exhibition is looking back at a London fashion label that spent nearly a decade turning knitwear into something altogether louder, stranger, and considerably more fun. Founded in 2008 by Cozette McCreery, Joe Bates and Sid Bryan, SIBLING emerged from London’s club and fashion scenes with the fairly straightforward idea that knitwear
  
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• Virgin Trains gets approval to launch international services through the Channel tunnel

  17-08-2026 12:15 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Eurostar will face competition on the London to mainland Europe route from 2030, as the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has formally authorised Virgin Trains to launch its services.
  Concept image (c) Virgin Trains
  The agreement between HS1 Limited and VTE OPCO will allow Virgin Trains to operate up to 20 new daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam from 1st October 2030.
  However, the regulator says several steps must be completed before the new services can run. Virgin
  
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• Charing Cross station reopened this morning following 22-day closure

  17-08-2026 11:38 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  London’s Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations reopened this morning following a 22-day closure that allowed engineers to carry out a £20 million programme of track, platform and station improvements.
  Track replacement by Waterloo East (c) Network Rail
  The closure, which began on 26 July, was centred on replacing ageing railway infrastructure on the approaches to Charing Cross. Engineers replaced almost two kilometres of 36-year-old track, along with the switches and crossings tha
  
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• Government plans default ‘yes’ for new homes near railway stations

  17-08-2026 11:12 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The government could fast-track proposals for new housing developments next to railway stations for construction under its plans.They had already said that planning decisions should give proper consideration to the proximity of public transport links, but under the updated National Planning Policy Framework, there will be a default ‘yes’ for homes within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations.
  An important rule will also set minimum density expectations for new housin
  
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