London's transport system will not withstand population growth
- Published: 29 July 2008 10:48
- Author: Alexandra Wynne
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- Last Updated: 29 July 2008 10:52
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London's transport network is ill-prepared to cope with a predicted population increase and a growth in the number of workspaces being built, said speakers at a City Property Association seminar this week.
Speaking at the event on Monday, real estate advisory consultant BH2 partner Savvas Savouri said: "There are 340,000 workers coming into the City every day. In addition, there are around 50,000 new workspaces under construction. Anyone who suffers from London's transport system at the present will know, all too painfully, how inadequate it is – with conditions that would often breach animal rights regulations."
He added that the existing system needs a quantum leap in capacity and reliability if it is to cope with the increase in commuting and other traffic that will be generated by the predicted population growth over the next 20 years.
Transport consultant Steer Davies Gleave head of development planning Roy McGowan said that even with the delivery of the planned schemes such as the East London Line, Thameslink and Crossrail - combined with the transit and tram schemes proposed for central, east and west London - transport capacity will still fail to keep up with the forecast demand and that crowding levels will continue to deteriorate.
City of London Corporation transportation and projects director and chair of the seminar, Joe Weiss said: "the Corporation is certainly aware of the existing and potential future problems facing the City as a result of an exhausted public transport system". He added that anything threatening the City's contribution to the gross national product should have urgent central Government attention.
