outer london commission responce

8/14/2019 Outer London Commission Responce

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Outer LOndOnCOmmissiOn

Consultation responseEconomic

Outer London employment principally relates to the provision o local services

(e.g. retail, health, education etc) which in turn are driven by the absolute

level and changes in the level and composition o population. Central London

employment is driven by the growth in regional, national and internationally

ocused businesses and services. Capacity constraints (property and to a lesserextent transport) has led some o this employment to spill out into parts o

inner London. Employment growth in inner and central London is driven by the

general growth in the economy. Agglomeration economics shows that this is

the optimal way or economic growth to be supported within a city context.

I employment growth beyond that related to population growth is to be

encouraged in outer London then it needs to build upon particular comparative

advantages such as Heathrow Airport or around developments such as a strong

university campus that will provide a long term anchor to sustain and grow

employment in the uture. Forcing employment out o inner London through

planning policies or trying to create competing employment hubs in outer

London will in the long run be detrimental to London’s economy. The ailure oprevious attempts to build up outer London oce centres highlights this point.

Another area where employment growth can be sustained is through the

major retail hubs in outer London which also oer a leisure product. Retail is

becoming concentrated in a ew major centres that can oer consumers the

range o oer they want. Comparison shopping is now a leisure activity and the

ability o a ew key centres to oer a ull day out experience will give them a

comparative advantage.

Quality o lie

There needs to be a radical improvement in the quality o major centres in

outer London. This relates to the quality o the public realm and improving

the leisure and retail oers within the majority o centres. Across most centres

there is a need or greater emphasis to be given to the person rather than to

trac. Wholesale pedestrianisation or at least the removal o the vast majority

o trac during shopping hours needs to be implemented. In the longer term i

road user charging is introduced the money could be used to build underpasses

avoiding key high streets thereby transorming the nature o our outer London

centres.

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High density housing need not be high rise housing or the ubiquitous block

o one to two bed apartments. The use o terrace housing with private rear

gardens is an ideal high density amily riendly housing solution combined with

mansion style housing. The outer boroughs need to be aspiring to the quality o

housing and public realm as is achieved in parts o Notting Hill and Kensington

& Chelsea which have some o the highest population densities in London.

Quality o education, the availability o green and community spaces,high levels o security and the sense o community are key elements to

achieving quality o place and lie. Again there is a need to put people rst in

developments and to use public assets much more eectively to the benet o

the wider community – e.g. schools and places o worship which spend most o

their time closed.

Transport

A radical change in approach is needed to transport in outer London. It is

apparent rom the ailure to implement any major tram schemes over the last

ten years that transport provision in outer London will be limited to improving

existing transport inrastructure rather than providing new, opening up the

market and providing saer alternatives to car use.

The take over by TL o the North London line demonstrates what can be

achieved on the existing rail network – passenger and revenue growth has been

in double gures due in part to better revenue protection (gating), security (all

day stang) and environment (deep clean o stations). We would propose that

local rail services in outer London are taken over by TL with all stations gated

and staed during the operating day. This could be revenue neutral – most

uplit in patronage is o-peak as people are encouraged to use the system at

quiet times because it is now perceived as saer, crime is greatly reduced on a

gated system reducing the cost o vandalism and revenue protection pays or

the additional stang.

Orbital rail trips in south London are possible (e.g. Bromley to Wimbledon)but little used as they are perceived as complex and involve changing at

“quiet” stations outside the peak. Better advertising o connections and

stang o interchanges will help to improve connectivity between key outer

London centres without the need or new costly inrastructure. Improved

interconnectivity can also be achieved by a network o express bus services

linking key outer London centres along the lines o the X26 – these can be

market tested by the private sector as a way o moving to some deregulation o

bus services in outer London.



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Rather than developing cycle routes between outer London centres where

demand is always likely to be limited resources should be concentrated on

ensuring that 15 minute isochrones around key town centres are permeable or

people and cyclists. This is where there is the greatest opportunity or walking

and cycling. Better provision o cycle parking (in terms o quantum and security)

is needed and the central London cycle hire scheme needs to be rolled out in

key outer London centres.

Now mini-cabs and drivers are ully licensed and regulated the discrimination

between taxis and mini-cabs in terms o use o bus lanes should be abolished.

Mini-cabs are widely used in outer London by those who do not own cars while

taxis are generally rarely seen.

Real sae cycle and walking routes need to be established to and rom schools.

What we propose is a radical change rom the present system. We propose a

pilot based on a large outer London secondary school where within the walking

and cycling catchment area o the school, children receive absolute priority on

the network in the period beore and ater school operates (although this is

complicated by the extended school day). In practice this would mean

dedicated cycle lanes on main roads (the width o a ull lane) where alterna-tive sae routes on non-main roads cannot be achieved

a camera enorced 20mph speed limit on all routes used by children on the

way to and rom school – using average speed and absolute speed cameras

signalised pedestrian crossing turning green or pedestrians within 10s o the

pedestrian button being pressed

Trac management also needs to be ar more radical in terms o:

widespread introduction o average speed cameras and 20mph limits in

residential areas

withdrawal o ree on street parking in most locations – cruising or ree

parking causes considerable congestion – replaced with resident and busi-

nesses permitted parking

parking charges to refect the true cost o parking provision – many outerboroughs make a loss on their car parking accounts and i the ull cost o

capital and depreciation was taken into account these losses would be

substantial

introduction o a workplace parking levy – even in outer London this is a

substantial tax ree benet – reduction in workplace parking rees up more

space or development, green spaces, public realm and helps to reduce tra-

c congestion

London wide road user charging needs to be introduced to reduce conges-

tion and smooth out trac fows across the day – albeit at a much lower

level than the central London charge



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consideration given to the establishment o home delivery centres – i.e.

local shops/post oces/garages where home deliveries can be made and

picked up by the recipient at a time suitable to them rather than the present

high level o ailed deliveries direct to homes and oten requiring 2nd or 3rd

deliveries

removal o trac lights at lightly used junctions where they are not needed

or saety reasons

the turning o o trac lights at times o low trac volumes while main-taining sae pedestrian crossing acilities where needed

outer london commission responce

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