Impact of remote working on central London

Following a London Assembly Economy Committee investigation into the impact of remote working on central London, the Committee has written to the Mayor of London with four recommendations.

The recommendations include:

1. The Mayor should monitor the impact of the off-peak trial on ridership figures and share his findings with this Committee at the end of the three-month trial. The Mayor should also explore opportunities for working with the Business Improvement District sector to gain a better understanding of the trial’s effect on measures such as footfall, dwell time and spend.
2. The Mayor should build on his commitment in the CAZ Futures Action Plan to support Business Improvement Districts to help deliver improvements to the public realm within London’s Central Activities Zone. In response to this letter, he should also set out details of the impact this public realm improvement work has had so far on footfall and public transport ridership in the Central Activities Zone. He should continue lobbying Government to ensure local authorities have sufficient funding to invest in public realm improvements.
3. The Mayor should encourage local authorities within the Central Activities Zone to agree ‘Article 4’ directions with the Government to ensure they can prevent inappropriate development within the CAZ. He should do this as part of the CAZ Futures Working Group, which was set up after the publication of the CAZ Futures Action Plan., The Mayor should also explore how he can facilitate the use of empty properties for the benefit of local charities and community groups.
4. Given the importance of this issue to the central London economy, the Mayor should continue to lobby the Government to re-introduce the VAT Retail Export Scheme (VAT RES), including by writing to the Minister for London and by working with the London and Partners in 2024 to build the London business case for its return.