“I am committed to improving public health and reducing health inequalities, and a key element of this will be through better planning of London's transport network.” Mayor Sadiq Khan, June 20162
In 2015, a partnership of agencies (including the Mayor) jointly committed to an ambition that by 2020, 70 per cent of adults in London will reach recommended activity levels. If this target is to be met and the Mayor is serious about improving public health, a cultural shift is needed in TfL’s transport planning and priorities.
TfL has had success previously in changing Londoners travel habits. During the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, 35 per cent of travelers changed their travel in some way, with 19 per cent switching modes. After the Games, one in ten kept these travel changes as part of their regular commute.3 Could TfL replicate this success more widely in terms of encouraging healthier transport options? And how will TfL put the Mayor’s vision for Healthy Streets into practice?
The Health Committee will discuss TfL’s progress in promoting health in London and how Mayor Sadiq Khan can use TfL to improve the health of Londoners. The guests are:
- Dr Lucy Saunders, Consultant in Public Health, Greater London Authority (GLA) and TfL
- Ben Plowden, Director of Surface Strategy and Planning, Surface Transport, TfL
- Dr Jennifer Mindell, Reader in Public Health, University College London and Chair, Faculty of Public Health's Health Improvement Committee
- John Dales, Director, Urban Movement
The meeting will take place on Wednesday, 19 October at 2:30pm in Committee Room 4 at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).
Media and members of the public are invited to attend. The meeting can also be viewed via webcast.
Follow us @LondonAssembly and take part in the discussion using #AssemblyHealth and #HealthyTransport.
Notes to editors
- Full agenda papers
- Mayor Sadiq Khan response to Mayoral Question, 22 June 2016
- Olympic Legacy Monitoring: Personal Travel Behaviour during the Games, June 2013
- Dr Onkar Sahota AM, Chair of the Health Committee is available for interview. See contact details below.
- London Assembly Health Committee
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Lisa Lam on 020 7983 4067. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.