Research highlights failings in outer London transport infrastructure

‘Moving with the Times’ is a programme of research from independent think tank Centre for London designed to address the future of transport around the capital. In their latest report they look at how to support more sustainable travel in outer London.

The headline findings of the research is that more people in outer London are compelled to own cars by the lack of reliable public transport or active travel infrastructure. This is obviously timely information given the forthcoming expansion of the city’s Low Emission Zone.

In the foreword to the report Sak Gill, Vice-President and General Manager South East England, Enterprise Holdings says: ‘Outer London is, by definition, different to inner London. How residents across outer London move around is very different too. A lot of journeys are local and don’t head into or terminate in central London. Indeed, a lot of journeys in outer London are made by people heading out of London entirely.’

69% of households in outer London have access to a car, compared to 42%  in inner London and 77% in England as a whole. 

38% of journeys in outer London are made by car – exactly double the number in inner London – and half of these journeys are less than two miles long.

The report identifies three areas in which change is needed: the cycle network needs greater coverage, new public transport routes need connecting to new developments at a much earlier stage and shared transport should be delivered more consistently.

Claire Harding, Interim Chief Executive of Centre for London said: ‘There are 5.4 million people in outer London – as many as live in Scotland. But many of these people don’t have access to the transport options that their inner London counterparts enjoy.

‘Political rhetoric about transport spending in London hides the fact that millions of Londoners have limited options for getting around their neighbourhood.

‘Improving the options people have to travel sustainably for local trips, not just commuting, is at the heart of making London a more liveable city.’

The next report in the Moving with the Times series will investigate how the costs associated with travelling across London influence travel behaviour.