Category: London

Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Face Masks on TFL

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 14 July 2021.

I’ve repeatedly made clear that the simplest and safest option would have been for the Government to retain the national requirement for face coverings on public transport. I’m not prepared to stand by and put Londoners, and our city’s recovery, at risk. This is why, after careful consideration, I have decided to ask TfL to retain the requirement for passengers to wear a face covering on all TfL services when the national regulations change.

By keeping face masks mandatory we will give Londoners and visitors the reassurance and confidence to make the most of what our city has to offer, while also protecting our heroic transport workers and those who may be vulnerable and rely on the network to get around our city. It’s an extra layer of protection on top of TfL’s world-leading enhanced cleaning regime – and I’m sure Londoners will continue to do the right thing as they have done throughout the pandemic, and continue to wear a face covering on TfL services.

July 14, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Statement Following Fire in Elephant and Castle

The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 28 June 2021.

My thoughts are with all those affected by the very serious fire in Elephant and Castle. I am in close contact with the Fire Commissioner.

I want to thank our brave emergency services – the London Fire Brigade, Met Police, London Ambulance Service and British Transport Police, who acted quickly to ensure both residents and passengers at the nearby station were safely evacuated.

The fire is now under control. Two people, one police officer and one member of the public are being treated for smoke inhalation. I wish them and others affected a speedy recovery.

I urge the public to avoid the area whilst our firefighters and emergency services continue their work in the area. There are significant road closures in place and the tube station is shut.

If you live nearby, please follow the advice from London Fire Brigade and close all doors and windows.

June 30, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Statement on EU Settlement Scheme Deadline

The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 29 June 2021.

Tomorrow marks the application deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme and I want to make a final appeal to European Londoners and their families. Speak to your eligible friends, colleagues and family members and make sure they’ve all applied to the scheme.

I remain hugely concerned that with hundreds of thousands of people caught up in the Government’s application backlog, many European Londoners face a real risk of discrimination from Thursday onwards. We know the backlog will take months and months to clear but it is still not too late for ministers to do the right thing and announce an extension to the application deadline to avoid the huge stress and anxiety their application backlog will have created.

I also urge the Government to introduce physical proof of status – their policies mean that immigration checks are being conducted by non-experts – landlords, employers and others who may not know or understand the complexities of EU citizens’ new immigration status, which is digital-only. There is no doubt that the lack of printed evidence creates barriers in accessing work, housing and essential services and we have already seen the harm that these policies have had on many people, including the Windrush generation and their families.

I will continue to do all I can to support European citizens living in the capital – they continue to make a massive contribution to our economic, cultural and social life, and everything that makes our city so great.

June 30, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Fan Zone in London

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 17 June 2021.

I am delighted that we are able to continue thanking our key workers and community groups by welcoming them to the Fan Zone at Trafalgar Square for England’s remaining group games. The opening weekend of the tournament was a huge success and I felt truly privileged to watch the match alongside Londoners who have given so much for our city over the last 16 months.

My mission over the next three years is to put the dark days of the pandemic behind us and to deliver a better and brighter future for all Londoners. Despite the need to maintain social distancing for longer than planned, I’m confident that the remaining weeks of Euro 2020 will still provide a vibrant celebration and economic boost to the capital.

I urge anyone not fortunate enough to get a place in the public ballot to continue to watch the matches at home or in a Covid-safe environment.

June 18, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Air Quality Monitoring in London

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 17 June 2021.

The focus of this Clean Air Day is on protecting children’s health – and we know toxic air pollution in London stunts the growth of children’s lungs and worsens chronic illnesses such as asthma.

That’s why tackling air pollution in our city has been a priority for me since I was first elected in 2016 and I’m more determined than ever to do everything I can to consign air pollution to the history books.

I’m really proud that a further 131 air quality sensors are set to be added to London’s network, and later this year we are taking the pivotal step of expanding the world-first Ultra Low Emission Zone up to the North and South Circulars later this year, which will improve the health of all Londoners and deliver a cleaner, greener and fairer city.

June 18, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Anniversary of Grenfell Tower Fire Tragedy

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 14 June 2021.

London will never forget the tragic events of 14 June 2017, when 72 people lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire. Four years on from this national tragedy, my thoughts remain with bereaved families, survivors and residents as they remember their loved ones.

There are many whose lives will never be the same after Grenfell. We owe it to the people who died, to the survivors and the entire community to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.

While dealing with their own grief and recovery, the Grenfell community have been unwavering in their dignity and strength, continuing to campaign and fight for justice and public safety. As Mayor of this city, I stand with them and I will continue to be relentless in holding those responsible to account, doing everything in my power to ensure all Londoners feel safe in their homes.

June 14, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Early Years Provision

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 4 June 2021.

London’s early years sector is a lifeline for so many families, providing their children with high-quality education and care and giving them the best possible start in life. But these nurseries and childminders have been hit hard by the pandemic, and many are facing a battle to survive.

That’s why I’m proud to be working with the Early Years Alliance and CEEDA to give nurseries and childminders across the capital the support they need to continue their life-changing work. By investing in London’s early years education sector, I’m investing in our social and economic recovery, and in our future as a city, and urge the Government to do the same.

June 5, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on the Climate Emergency

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 2 June 2021.

Creating jobs and tackling the climate emergency are two of my priorities for London and that’s why I am delighted London is leading the way on a retrofit revolution. With the COP26 summit taking place later this year, it’s vital that we show how London is leading the way with our Green New Deal.

A strong economic recovery from COVID-19 and a green recovery are not mutually exclusive. This transformative approach to retrofit will directly help those living in ageing, energy-inefficient homes, and could play a vital role cutting energy bills and tackling fuel poverty. It will also support Londoners with the skills they need for jobs in the green economy, rebuilding our city post-COVID so that it’s cleaner, greener and fairer.

June 2, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Council Housing in London

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, in Southwark on 1 June 2021.

Building genuinely affordable housing is one of my top priorities and I’m proud that we stand at the beginning of a council homebuilding renaissance in London.

When I was elected five years ago I was determined to do everything I could to help reverse many years of declining council home building. Now, thanks to our hard work, we’re once again seeing these vital homes return to every corner of the capital. I’m delighted to be here in Southwark, a borough that has truly embraced council homebuilding with ambitious targets to start 11,000 homes over the next 20 years.

But we still have so much to do. We must maintain our relentless focus on tackling London’s housing crisis, push the Government for more funding and deliver the high-quality homes Londoners demand and deserve.

June 1, 2021
Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Transport for London Funding Deal

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 1 June 2021.

I have tried to build bridges with the Government as this is in the best interest of Londoners and our businesses, but I want to be honest with Londoners: this is not the deal we wanted, but we have fought hard to get it to the best place possible and to ensure we can continue to run vital transport services at this crucial time for our city.

After some extremely tough negotiations, we have successfully managed to see off the worst of the conditions the Government wanted to impose on London, which would not only have required huge cuts to transport services equivalent to cancelling 1 in 5 bus routes or closing a Tube line, but would have hampered London’s economic recovery as well as the national recovery.

The Government is still insisting that TfL look at options to raise a further £500m to £1bn of revenue per year by 2023. I have been clear to the Government that there are very few options to do this and forcing TfL to impose draconian additional measures on London would be unacceptable. So I will continue to work with the Government to identify an appropriate source of funding. But I am hopeful that as London bounces back from the pandemic, and income from fares continues to increase, we’ll be able to avoid introducing any unfair measures on Londoners, as the additional fares revenue may be able to meet Government demands.

It’s important to remember that TfL only needs emergency funding from the Government because its income from fares dropped by up to 90 per cent because Londoners followed the rules by staying at home and avoiding public transport during the lockdown. In my first four years as Mayor I reduced TfL’s deficit by 71 per cent and increased its cash balances by 13 per cent. TfL is a world class transport authority.

TfL is also being forced to undertake some early development work on the business case for driverless trains. However, I’ve made it crystal clear to Ministers that we will object to any future requirement to force TfL to implement driverless trains on the London Underground. It would cost billions of pounds and would be a gross misuse of taxpayers’ money at this critical time for our country.

This short-term settlement is yet another sticking plaster so I will seek to work with the Government over the months ahead to agree a longer-term funding deal for TfL that is both fair and right for Londoners and the whole country. I’ve repeatedly said that I want to build bridges with the Government and work constructively with Ministers in London’s interest – and the national interest – as we seek to recover from the pandemic. This remains the case, but I’ll always stand up for London and be honest with Londoners when the Government makes decisions that could negatively impact our city.

June 1, 2021