Sadiq Khan has outlined his ambition to provide every Londoner with the opportunities the city gave him and his family as he marks his first 100 days in office. The new Mayor also expressed his determination to maintain the fast pace of work he has brought to City Hall as he is intent on delivering major improvements for Londoners.
Today the Mayor spoke of how big changes were required in how important areas like housing, transport, culture, skills and equality are handled in the capital. But he reported back to Londoners that in a whirlwind first 100 days in office he has already:
- Put together the most ambitious plan to tackle air pollution anywhere in the world
- Published the first ever gender pay audit at City Hall and a real plan to tackle pay inequality.
- Got the Night Tube going – finally opening this week.
- Announced a TfL fares freeze for four years – and pushed the Government to freeze the fares on their lines.
- Announced the Hopper bus fare – two bus journeys in an hour for the price of one from this September anywhere in London.
- Blocked plans to develop on London’s vital greenbelt.
- Started building his Homes for Londoners team to ensure there are genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy.
- Focused on real neighbourhood policing – with an extra dedicated police officer in every ward by 2017.
- Launched a terror preparedness review to keep London’s safe from terrorist attacks.
- Introduced Low emissions bus zones – with clean bus lanes secured in some of the most polluted areas of London.
- Supported arts and culture – working on plans for London’s first cultural enterprise zone.
Sadiq Khan said: “I’m driven by a burning ambition for every single Londoner to have the opportunities this city has provided me and my family. That means big changes to how we do things including a number of important plans like cleaning up London’s dirty air. So I’ve been moving fast and we’ve already achieved a lot, but I want to keep up the pace as there’s so much more to do. I’m well aware that time can fly by in this job and that’s why I’m impatient to deliver for London - and for every Londoner.”
The EU referendum results announced shortly after the Mayor’s election presented him with an extra challenge, which he responded to speedily by launching the #LondonIsOpen campaign.
Sadiq added: “I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with the aftermath of the EU referendum, speaking with employers and businesses, and working to ensure London will continue to prosper. As part of that, I’ve launched the London Is Open campaign – to show that our city will always be outward looking and open to the world.”
Looking ahead over the next 100 days and beyond the Mayor is looking forward to delivering on his commitment to clean up the capital’s filthy air. And he will continue to fight for a stronger voice for London and more control over things we need to improve, including the transfer of failing suburban rail services to Transport for London. He is also working on a plan to modernise the taxi and private hire industry.
Plans have already been announced to put the capital’s communities at the heart of Sadiq’s policing strategy by introducing a second dedicated Police Constable in every ward by the end of 2017. And the Mayor’s team is working to fix London’s housing crisis and ensure all Londoners have the opportunity to rent or buy a decent home at a price they can afford.