Senior figures from the public sector and some of the UK’s biggest firms – representing transport, telecoms, new media, energy, the environment, the utility providers, and the building industry - have agreed to join forces with the Mayor of London to help deliver a major programme of investment in London’s infrastructure over the next half century. The Mayor has announced that he will lead the first meeting of his new London Infrastructure Delivery Board at City Hall tomorrow (5 November).
The capital is set to exceed its record level of population within a matter of months and the Mayor is already consulting on a plan that outlines the huge amount of new infrastructure required to allow the capital to cope with a population that is forecast to increase by 37 per cent to more than 11 million people by 2050. The agenda for the inaugural meeting will focus on identifying potential barriers to the delivery of new infrastructure and how board members might work together to overcome them. It will be the first time that representatives of all the main infrastructure providers in London have sat down in one room with a brief of supporting a long term plan for investment in the capital.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “London is growing at an incredible rate and we need to deliver a huge investment in new homes, schools, water, energy and transport facilities to be able to protect the standard of living that Londoners expect. Our infrastructure delivery board is absolutely key to that work and I am delighted at the many talents it contains. Our board members all play vital roles in the everyday life of our city and will all have a part to play in helping London remain the greatest city in the world.”
The London Infrastructure plan being consulted on by the Mayor builds on his campaign for greater fiscal devolution to London and the UK’s other major cities. Devolving locally-raised taxes to cities would allow investment in much-needed local infrastructure and potentially boost the whole of the UK’s economy.
If London’s population increases as forecast the Mayor’s London Infrastructure Plan explains how the city will be faced by a series of serious challenges to its infrastructure:
- Demand for public transport is forecast to increase by 50 per cent with increased demand for Underground and rail services likely to increase by 60 and 80 per cent respectively.
- Demand on energy supplies is set to increase by 20 per cent during a period where demand on electricity supplies is forecast to more than double.
- Thames Water projects demand for water will exceed supply by 10 per cent in London by 2025, rising to 21 per cent by 2040.
- With an increasing school age population more than 600 new schools and colleges need to be provided.
- To meet the demand for housing around 50,000 new homes a year must be provided.
- With Heathrow already operating at 98.5 per cent of its capacity, a new four runway hub airport to the east of London must be provided to meet London’s wider social and economic needs.
The Mayor argues that a clear economic rationale underpins the need for a long term infrastructure plan, as rising prosperity for all depends on increased productivity, which itself relies on good infrastructure. However, infrastructure can only be delivered, improved and maintained through the planned, sustained and targeted investment that the new Board will help deliver.
The full membership of the London Infrastructure Delivery Board is:
- Martin Baggs, CEO, Thames Water
- Mark Camley, Executive Director of Park and Venues, London Legacy Development Corporation
- Mark Carne, CEO, Network Rail
- Isabel Dedring, Deputy Mayor of London for Transport
- John Dickie, Director of Strategy, London First
- Sir Philip Dilley, Chairman, Environment Agency
- Dr Emma FitzGerald, CEO UK Gas Distribution, National Grid
- Geoffrey Spence, Chief Executive, Infrastructure UK
- Peter Gerstrom, CEO of Cory Environmental and Deputy Chairman of Environmental Services Association
- Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Commissioner, Transport for London
- Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
- Cllr Claire Kober, Leader of Haringey Council and Infrastructure Lead for London Councils
- Cllr Clyde Loakes, Board member of LWARB, Deputy Leader of Waltham Forest Council and Chair of North London Waste Authority
- Trevor Maginley, Director of Business Development, Cleshar, representing the Civil Engineering Contractors Association
- Harvey McGrath, Deputy Chair London Enterprise Panel
- Tom Mockridge, CEO, Virgin Media
- Dr Nelson Ogunshakin, CEO, Association for Consultancy and Engineering
- Chet Patel, BT Director of London
- Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney and Chair of London Councils
- Peter Redfern, CEO, Taylor Wimpey
- Ed Richards, CEO, Ofcom
- Cllr Philippa Roe, Leader, Westminster City Council
- Basil Scarsella, CEO, UK Power Networks
Observers
- Maxine Frerk, Interim Senior Partner - Smarter Grids & Governance Distribution, Ofgem
- Simon Markall, Head of Public Affairs, Ofwat
Advisors
- Nick Bliss, Partner, Freshfields
- Chris Choa, Principal, AECOM
- Stephen Howlett, CEO, Peabody
- Alexander Jan, Director, Arup
- Sue Kershaw, Director of Rail for Europe, CH2M Hill
- Mike McNicholas, MD, Atkins
- Jason Millett, COO, MACE
- Mathew Riley, Partner, EC Harris
- Ian Shrubsall, National Head of Residential and Infrastructure Planning, GL Hearn