This morning, I’m pleased to share with you the results of the 2014 London Survey. An incredible 3,674 members of City Hall’s Talk London community took part and told me that infrastructure, the physical things we need to keep our city running, are high on the agenda.
You told me that your top priority is housing. Almost nine out of ten (87%) agree that London needs more housing, and 65% think more is needed where you live. But there’s no single quick fix – a range of measures are needed, including help for first time buyers, making sure landlords act fairly, improving social housing and building more homes.
Public transport is another important issue. I’m pleased that 85% of you are impressed with new payment options, and 79% now use digital technology like phone apps to plan journeys. Over half of you say public transport is now more accessible for people in wheelchairs and families with buggies.
More than three quarters of you agree your local area is a pleasant place to live, with reliable transport links and good parks and green spaces. Almost half (46%) feel your local high street is improving.
In terms of education, most parents think there are good schools locally (62%). Training and apprenticeships are recognised by 94% of you as a great way to help young people get the skills they need.
But there are areas where I know we must do better. Car trips account for almost a third of journeys in London, but 68% say local roads are too busy. 15% of you think there is less congestion, compared to 66% who haven’t seen any improvements.
And while most of you are generally positive about the economy in London (57%), that confidence doesn’t always translate to your personal life. The high cost of living is a concern, with 92% saying it’s gone up in the last year. All things considered, two thirds of you think you’re going to have to cut back a little or a lot on spending.
Overall, I’m pleased that satisfaction levels are generally high, but these findings show that many of you are anxious about housing and the economic outlook. I understand these concerns, which is why this year alone, more affordable homes are being built than in any other year since the early 1980s. I am stimulating house building with a range of new policies, including 20 new housing zones to help fast track building of new homes, and a housing bank to make long term low cost loans available for new affordable homes. I have also recently set out with the government a plan to secure London’s prosperity in the coming years, including the creation of jobs and homes.
It is important that our transport infrastructure can support and sustain our lives in the capital. Over 26 million journeys are taken on London’s roads each day – with Transport for London I’m investing £4bn, the largest investment in a generation, into London’s roads. The roads modernisation programme includes hundreds of projects to improve bridges, tunnels and major roads.
The survey results show that Londoners’ top priorities are broadly the same as ours here at City Hall. I’d like to know what you think about these results, and what I should do to address some of the points you raised, so please do get involved over at Talk London.