Delivering Sustainable Transport in London

Abstract

As a leading world city with the oldest metro in the world, London has a well-established transport system which has developed hand-in-hand with its urban growth. Londoners make over 24 million trips on the transport network each weekday; however, this is set to rise to over 27 million trips by 2031, due to increasing population and jobs. The Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy, finalised in 2010 after extensive consultation and developed alongside the city’s spatial and economic development strategies, sets out the transport agenda for the next 20 years to ensure this growth can be accommodated sustainably. The Strategy builds on the successes since Transport for London was established in 2000 by setting a policy framework for cross-modal sustainable growth and desired outcomes for the future. It addresses the Mayor’s goals for supporting economic and population growth, enhancing quality of life, improving safety and security, reducing transport’s contribution to climate change and improving its resilience and supporting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and its legacy. The Transport Strategy sets out policies and proposals for London to meet these goals, including the further integration of spatial development and transport provision through the land use planning process, efficient use of the transport system, increased capacity and demand management. A cross-modal programme of improvements and policy initiatives to support walking, cycling and public transport use, to better manage road traffic and to reduce emissions from ground-based transport is well underway. With an integrated approach to transport and land use policy and a clear coordinated implementation plan, the challenges of meeting London’s growth in a sustainable manner can be met. The following chapter represents individual reflections of the authors but from the perspective of London’s transport authority, Transport for London.