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Andy Byford

Thursday’s Headlines: Andy Byford Back on Top Edition

12:05 AM EDT on May 28, 2020

The New York public really loved Andy Byford, seen here in happier times. Photo: Gersh Kuntzman

News broke yesterday that our Train Daddy is now going to be Tube Daddy — yes, Andy Byford is going to run Transport for London.

The Post played it straight. The Daily News played up the magnitude of the job — Byford won't merely be running the bus and subway system, but also have a hand in the "street network, taxi service, trams and river ferries," too. The Times played up Byford's epic clashes with Gov. Cuomo. And, oddly, NY1's story by Dan Rivoli had a London dateline.

Here was the rest of the news from yesterday:

    • The car-loving New York Times did a whole story about the glory of the SUV, yet writer Tom Voelk devoted not a single word to the commensurate rise in deaths outside these assault cars. Where is the public editor when you need her?
    • The Tri-State Transportation Campaign is the latest group to create its own rider survey. Take it, here. (And, in case you missed it, the group's executive director, Nick Sifuentes, had a Crain's op-ed the other day about regional planning.)
    • Chicago was way behind New York City on open streets, but it's way ahead of us on opening streets for restaurants (NY Post). Meanwhile, Mayor de Blasio called his dithering a "badge of honor" in a comment to Streetsblog (The Post also covered that, minus the sauciness).
    • Meanwhile, if you scroll down, Gothamist broke the news that the City Council will today take up a measure to — again! — supersede the mayor and create open streets for restaurants.
    • Gov. Cuomo said he had a nice talk with President Trump about infrastructure (NY Post, WSJ) — even as a watchdog group said his Port Authority is wasting money left and right (Streetsblog).
    • Mark Hallum at amNY reported more evidence that subway ridership is increasing by the day, but it's still very very low.

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