Planning for 2050 in the capital

Lsabel Dearing
20 August 2014

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London is among the most competitive global cities in the world. We now contribute more to the UK economy than ever before and it is the city the world wants to live, work and do business in.

As a result our population is set to reach record levels and is forecast to keep rising. We expect another million people in London by 2021, to reach 10M residents by the 2030s and possibly over 11 million by 2050.

Our transport system is at full capacity; our water is supplied through leaking Georgian and Victorian pipes; energy demand is set to outstrip supply in the very near future and we need to improve our quality of life with more and better green spaces, cleaner air, and good schools to prepare our young people for the jobs that are there for the taking.

That incredible growth is why we have now produced our first ever long term infrastructure investment plan, which sets out an agenda for London in the 21st century. We already know we are going to need around 50,000 new homes and 45,000 jobs every year. But there is a huge amount of work to be done to deliver the infrastructure that will keep this city the envy of the world.

Our transport system is at full capacity; our water is supplied through leaking Georgian and Victorian pipes; energy demand is set to outstrip supply in the very near future and we need to improve our quality of life with more and better green spaces, cleaner air, and good schools to prepare our young people for the jobs that are there for the taking.

That is why we need to start planning now for London’s long term continued success. We are consulting on a long term infrastructure investment plan that sets out the high level infrastructure requirements to 2050, how much that will cost and how we might pay for it all.

We ask how we can ensure Green infrastructure becomes considered as much a part of the city’s vital system as our other utilities. We talk about transport and the need to finish modernising the Tube, plus the need to begin work on Crossrail 2 now and start considering the case for Crossrail 3 and 4. We talk about new regulatory frameworks and improved ways of delivering infrastructure.

Above all we try to set out what we need for London to remain a world leading city that not only benefits Londoners but the entire country.

It is time for the political and business leaders of this great city to develop and deliver a sustainable long term plan for London. A plan that ensures London’s unique status is reflected in national plans and regulations, and that puts this great city firmly in control of its own infrastructure, funds and future.

Isabel Dedring is London's Deputy Mayor for Transport