(Ian West/PA)
(Picture: PA Archive)London is failing to avoid a car-led recovery. Data from traffic analysis firm Inrix, cited by the Mayor, has placed the capital at the top of a list of the world’s most congested cities last year.
Sadiq Khan says London faced a twin threat of “filthy air and gridlocked roads” that could be costing the economy up to £5.1 billion a year. He is right, and we must act to avoid such an outcome.
Our city has made great strides on air quality in recent years, but any resident who lives near a busy road knows we have much further to go.
It is understandable that Londoners took to their cars during the pandemic. But as Covid-19 becomes endemic, we must not allow one public health crisis to be replaced by another.
The future of our city — and the financial viability of our world-class public transport network — depends on people getting out of their cars and on to trains, buses and bicycles.
