Almost 30 London organisations and individuals have issued a joint statement in response to mayor Ken Livingstone’s Towards the London Plan consultation paper, attacking its “world-city” focus.
The statement claims that the mayor has not addressed income equality, transport problems, and what its signatories regard as the social and environmental irresponsibility of many financial institutions. It also draws attention to what its authors consider to be the City’s centuries-long failure to share its wealth with the rest of east London. Calling for a greater emphasis on social justice and social exclusion, the signatories want the London Plan to pay more attention to pollution, the Thames, green spaces and traffic congestion.
Among the signatories are: the Green members of the Greater London Assembly, the London branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, Transport 2000 London, London Alliance and the River Thames Society. Victor Anderson, a Green member of the assembly, said: “This statement sends a serious message to the mayor to pay attention to the needs of all Londoners and not simply to big business and the City.”
EGi News 01/08/01
