Natasha Levanti, Group Communications Executive, ACE Group discusses the mayoral candidates disdain for the needs of Londoners in their quest to take office…
Despite the fact that housing, transport and job are the most important issues to Londoners, both Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan have expressed a dismissive and cavalier attitude to these issues this week. Both candidates have pulled out of the London Infrastructure Debate, occurring tonight with an audience of 400+ experts in the field despite agreeing to the event and it having been in their diaries for months.
London is growing fast with nine new residents every hour. How the city houses, transports and employs these people will be the key challenge for the next mayor. The Infrastructure Debate was to provide a forum for all the candidates to outline to the industry and public how they would meet this challenge but both Zac and Sadiq have bottled it.
It is hard to think of how both candidates could have shown greater contempt for the needs of the people they seek to serve and office they wish to hold.
Sources within the GLA have raised their concern at this dismissal of London Infrastructure by leading candidates, particularly as the city of London faces staunch challenges ahead to provide the infrastructure for the basic living needs of Londoners, including but not limited to utilities, housing and transport.
“The infrastructure challenge facing London is huge and it is highly concerning that the two men in line to be the next mayor have refused to sit down with the very industry that will help them meet this challenge. London needs to build 49,000 homes a year, build 600 new schools, and rapidly expand the transport network if we hope to keep London working. This debate needed to happen if Londoners are to have any confidence in who they chose to vote for as mayor.”
Londoners face strained infrastructure daily, manifest in the scant availability of affordable housing, fears over electricity shortages over winter, health problems resulting from pollution, as well as frequent congestion on transportation.
Infrastructure in London must not be relegated as a matter of little concern to politicians, as it should be a primary concern of leaders within the greater London area, particularly as the growing population adds further strain to existing infrastructure capacity.
Tonight’s debate, was a unique opportunity for over 400 of the most involved individuals in London infrastructure to ask realistic challenges of the five major contenders wishing to become the next Mayor of London. As such it was planned over the past 6-12 months through a strong partnership between the five leading infrastructure associations: Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Construction Products Association (CPA) and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).
- Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, chief executive, ACE
As Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, chief executive of Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has stated: “We are exceedingly disappointed that, at the last minute, neither Zac Goldsmith nor Sadiq Khan will honour their commitment to debate about London’s infrastructure future.
“ACE is exceedingly concerned about whether politicians realise the vital importance that infrastructure plays in the lives of Londoners, or has realistically come to terms with the steep infrastructure challenges ahead for London if the city wishes to remain globally competitive.
“This was a tremendous opportunity for Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan to hear about challenges as well as potential infrastructure solutions from experts in the field, and bypassed opportunity for expert insights that ACE hopes is not a sign of what can be expected of the next mayor.
As put forth in ACE’s London Manifesto, the infrastructure challenges faced by London must be taken seriously, and in order to succeed that next mayor must tap into the sources of expert knowledge on UK infrastructure available to him/her. Together we can ensure London’s continued success, not only as a place of business but also as a place worth living in.”
Still attending the Infrastructure Debate in person are Councillor Sian Berry (Green), Caroline Pidgeon AM (Liberal Democrat), and Peter Whittle (UK Independence Party). Zac Goldsmith MP (Conservative) and Sadiq Khan MP (Labour) will send campaign representatives.
If Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan’s disregard to the importance of attending tonight’s debate as well as disregard to personally engaging with infrastructure experts is a sign of the next mayoral tenure, then London must indeed brace itself for further infrastructure strain, and daily reminders that leaders may not be up to the task of engaging, making realistic plans, and solving challenges seen by every Londoner.
To live stream the event, please go to: ice.org.uk/events/London-infrastructure-debate
To download ACE London Manifesto 2016, please go to: acenet.co.uk/DevolvedNationsandRegions/916
Natasha Levanti
Group Communications Executive
ACE Group
Tel: 020 7222 6557
