ADD2628 Trafalgar Square feasibility study

1.1 Trafalgar Square is owned and managed by the GLA. It hosts numerous public events each year, including around ten managed directly by the GLA (e.g. Diwali) and many more which are delivered by third parties which are granted permission by the Mayor to use the Square (e.g. Pride).  

1.2 The Mayor has committed to making London net-zero carbon and improving its air quality, and is leading by example to improve the GLA’s own environmental impacts. However, the electrical power supply to Trafalgar Square is limited, meaning that events rely on diesel generators for power. These generators are highly polluting, harming local air quality with NOx and particulate emissions, as well as increasing London’s carbon footprint.

1.3 The GLA Facilities Management team will commission the work to their tenured Mechanical and Electrical contractor under pre-existing procurement arrangements (Measured Term Contract).

2.1 This work aims to establish the feasibility and cost of upgrading the power supply to Trafalgar Square. If the assessment indicates it would be practicable and cost-effective to upgrade the power supply, this work will be carried out using capital funds from the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund.

2.2 This would lead to events on Trafalgar Square that no longer use diesel generators, hence are less polluting, contributing to the Mayor’s goals to tackle the climate emergency and improve London’s air quality. The outcomes of this work and its benefits to Londoners will be publicised via the communications plan in place for the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund.

3.1 This work to cut air pollution can help reduce environmental equalities, as it is estimated that BAME and low-income Londoners are significantly more likely to be exposed to poor air quality. No negative impacts on groups with protected characteristics are expected as result of this decision.

Key risks and issues

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.1 This work supports the goals of the Mayor’s London Environment Strategy to tackle carbon emissions and improve air quality – in particular Chapter 11 commits to improving the environmental impacts of the GLA’s own estate and events. It also supports the London Recovery Board’s aim to reinvigorate and enhance the experience of economic and cultural activity in the Central Activities Zone.

Consultations and impact assessments, including data protection

4.2 No impact assessments have been identified as necessary or relevant to this work. No data protection issues arise in relation to the GLA’s GDPR duty.

4.3 No health and safeguarding issues have been identified.

4.4 There are no conflicts of interest to note from any of those involved in the drafting or clearance of this form.

5.1 Assistant Director’s approval is sought for expenditure of up to £25,000 on consultancy services to conduct a feasibility study to assess the works and associated costs needed to upgrade Trafalgar Square’s electrical power supply.

5.2 This expenditure is to be funded from the Environment Team (Strategy and Green Recovery Team) 2022-2023 programme budget which is part of the Sustainable Development Budget line.

5.3 This expenditure is affordable within the budget for 2022-23.

5.4 All expenditure will be incurred by 31^st March 2023.

5.5 It is appropriate that this work be funded by the Environment Team’s Strategy and Green Recovery budget – rather than other GLA budgets – as it is specifically designated to embed sustainability within the GLA’s operations, particularly GLA events. This is more suitable than either the Facilities Management budget or the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund (which is not primarily targeted at feasibility or revenue funding). The Mayor’s Retrofit Accelerator is not able to resource this work requires specialist technical knowledge outside the scope of the framework’s providers.

6.1 Project milestones and deliverables are itemised in the timeline below.