Extract)
Florence Eshalomi AM: Yes. ‘Play streets’ and car‑free days are really important. I live in a flat with two young children, a four‑year-old and a two‑year‑old. Going from our flat to the park the biggest barrier sometimes is crossing the roads with the number of cars.
Is there more that you and TfL could be doing to try to promote more regular car‑free days and looking at opportunities where there may be redundant roads, redundant spaces,
to get more pedestrianised areas so we can get more people out of their cars, out enjoying the roads and the clean air?
Sadiq KhanMayor of London
This is the crux of what the Car Free Day is about, it is us reimagining our city. If you have been raised in a city where you assume everyone is going to drive and park next to a Tube station, or if you assume our roads have to be dangerous you cannot imagine the alternative. I will not apologise for trying to address the fact that every year in London 4,000 people either lose their lives or are seriously injured on our roads or apologise for taking action to fix some of the junctions around our city. We need Londoners on our side.
We need Londoners to pressure us to go even further. That is why I do not criticise people challenging me and telling me to go even further on some of the issues. We want Londoners to enjoy the Car Free Day on 22 September [2019] and use that as a springboard to get your imagination thinking about what more we can do, to put pressure on local councils and to put pressure on me, and put pressure on the Government if need be, to make sure more and more of London is friendly to people walking, cycling and using public transport.
It means us taking on those people who think carparks in the heart of our city are infrastructure, they are not.
