Latest news with #CentralLondonForward
Time Out
4 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
Londoners overwhelmingly support the Bakerloo line extension, according to a new report
It's not everyday that you can get a majority of Londoners to agree on something. From festivals at Brockwell Park to developments on Brick Lane and the newly opened Silvertown Tunnel, there are countless things that have the city's population riled up and divided. But there's at least one thing that appears to bring (most) Londoners together... the long-awaited Bakerloo line extension. If you're not up to speed, the Bakerloo line extension has been a work in progress for the last 11 years but is still yet to get the official green light. TfL plans to extend the 119-year-old line into the southeast of the city, past Elephant and Castle and ending in Lewisham. It also wants to modernise it with new stations and new trains. You can read about the plans in full here. Now, Southwark, Lewisham, Brent and Westminster councils have surveyed local businesses and residents to get their take on the proposed Bakerloo line extension. And, turns out, the overwhelming majority support the plans. Let's break the numbers down. The poll, commissioned by the councils and Central London Forward, found that nine in 10 businesses (89 percent) back the proposal, three quarters believe it would have a positive impact on their operations and 70 percent believe it would benefit them. Just over half of the businesses agreed that the extension would bring them more customers and 56 percent said it would boost their chances for expansion in the future. When it comes to residents, 76 percent of those surveyed said that they are in support of the Bakerloo extension. Mayor of Lewisham Brenda Dacres said: 'For too long, parts of Lewisham have been cut off from the Tube network — but the Bakerloo Line Extension changes that. This project has huge support from our community because it means better access to jobs, easier commutes, and real opportunities for local residents and businesses. 'It's time to bring the Underground to Lewisham, Catford and beyond to supercharge connections across South East London, and deliver benefits that will ripple across London and the UK.' Despite all that support, the Bakerloo line extension is still waiting on the approval that actually counts – the government's. If the project gets the official blessing and funding it needs, TfL says it could begin in 2030 and be complete by 2040.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ranking boroughs most desperate for the London Underground Bakerloo line extension
Residents and businesses across London have thrown their support behind the proposed Bakerloo line extension, with 76 per cent of locals in boroughs along the proposed new route backing the scheme. The data comes from a set of surveys commissioned by Central London Forward, working alongside alongside Southwark Council, Lewisham Council and Business for Bakerloo, to understand the level of support behind the Tube line upgrade. The scheme would see the service extending to serve Lewisham via Southwark, as well as the opportunity to extend the service further to Hayes and Beckenham Junction. The survey saw 1,014 residents across seven London boroughs being questioned on the scheme. Brent was listed as showing the greatest support for the extension, with 81 per cent of residents backing the scheme. This was closely followed by Lewisham and Southwark, with 79 and 78 per cent respectively. READ MORE: The old London Underground route we wish still existed that went all the way to the seaside READ MORE: Britain's 'most woke' £2m roundabout due to open next week Harrow, Westminster and Lambeth residents all demonstrated a similar level of support, with approximately 75 per cent of those surveyed approving of the upgrade. Bromley respondents were more unsure, as 69 per cent backed the scheme while 24 per cent said they might support it. Regarding local businesses, 95 per cent of businesses surveyed in Brent expressed support for the scheme, while 90 per cent of Bromley businesses backed the proposal. Overall, 88 per cent of the 446 businesses in the area of the extension support the scheme, while 90 per cent of the 459 businesses which were not within the area also approved of it. Labour Councillor Claire Holland, leader of Lambeth Council said: "London needs to invest in its transport infrastructure to drive job creation and increase housing delivery. The Bakerloo line Upgrade and Extension is expected to support the creation of 150,000 good jobs and the delivery of 107,000 new homes across its length. Nearly 80 per cent of residents in Lambeth support the proposals." She added: "As a council we are keenly focussed on growth opportunities that benefit Lambeth residents. The extension would be a major boost for growth in Waterloo, better connecting the area's world-class arts & cultural institutions, thriving hospitality sector and major employers to the rest of South East London." Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in February this year that the route for the proposed extension had been safeguarded by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. The comments came during the launch of the London Growth Plan, detailing ambitions for local leaders to work alongside the government to deliver transport projects such as the Bakerloo extension. Sir Sadiq told MyLondon at the launch event on February 27 : "We've safeguarded the route [this week] with the transport secretary, putting the case to her about the importance of the Bakerloo line extension. We're also keen to get government green light for the DLR extension to Thamesmead." He added: "Here's the point, the government rightly wants more homes. The government rightly wants more jobs, wealth, prosperity. Well giving the green light to these pieces of transport infrastructure does just that. More homes, better public transport, more jobs, more growth, more prosperity." Have a story you want to share? Email Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
London housing: Unlawful renting of short-term lets on the rise
The government has been urged to take action after research found more than half of London's short-term holiday let properties are being rented out unlawfully.A report by Central London Forward, a partnership of inner city boroughs, revealed more than 50% of the 117,000 short-term lets listed across the capital in 2024 were booked for more than 90 days a year, in breach of City Council leader Adam Hug said: "This concentration has a profound effect on our local communities."A government spokesman said: "We will introduce a short-term let registration scheme to reap the benefits of a thriving tourist economy while protecting the spirit of our communities." 'Waste and noise complaints' Landlords cannot legally rent out their homes in the capital for more than 90 nights a year under are only allowed to let their homes out for more than 90 nights a year, on short-term lets, if they receive planning permission from the at the Centre for London think tank's annual housing summit on Wednesday, Mr Hug said his borough was "at the epicentre of the problem", with short-term lets concentrated in "the West End, Bayswater, Lancaster Gate and parts of Pimlico".He added: "It can hollow out long-term residents, making neighbours subject to significant noise disruption, fly-tipped waste linked to short-term let properties."But it also impacts the council services which have to pick up the waste, respond to the noise complaints and deal with pressure in the local housing market, as we see private rents rise year on year."Central London Forward's report, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), found the number of short-term lets in London has risen over the last decade. In 2015, there were fewer than 30,000 short-term lets in London, which more than doubled throughout 2016 to 60,000, peaking at over 100,000 in numbers of short-term lets then "fell dramatically" in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, before making a "steady recovery," the report added. 'Completely inadequate' The report calls on ministers to force short-term let rental websites "to share individualised, unit-level data with local authorities and the government" and to introduce a mandatory national registration scheme for the sector."At the moment, it isn't possible for local authorities to effectively, at scale, enforce the existing regulations," said Mr added that holiday let websites will often "mask where the properties are, putting it on a street a couple of roads away, and not being clear what building it's in".The Labour councillor added: "It means that hard-pressed planning enforcement teams are really struggling to build the evidence base to get the court to enforce the 90-day rule."In order to better regulate the market, and to empower local authorities, we really do need national government to step up."The report was endorsed by Tom Copley, Sir Sadiq Khan's deputy mayor for housing, who said with 65,000 homeless households in London living in temporary accommodation, "we need to bring those properties back into use as long-term rented properties, or long-term properties for people to buy and live in as owner-occupiers". A government spokesman told the LDRS the short-term let sector has seen rapid growth in recent years. They said: "This can bring economic benefits to the economy and tourism industry, but we know that having excessive concentrations of short-term lets in an area can drive up housing costs and harm local communities."That's why we have abolished the furnished holiday lets tax regime so that landlords are no longer incentivised by the tax system to rent homes as holiday lets. "We continue to consider further action."
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Urgent calls for action on Bakerloo Line extension for 'excluded' south east London
Councils, businesses, and partners have made an urgent call for the government to commit to the Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension project. The Back the Bakerloo campaign, led by London councils, Central London Forward, and BusinessLDN, is pushing for this infrastructure project to be included in the upcoming 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy and for funding to be secured in the Comprehensive Spending Review. The Bakerloo Line is a crucial part of London's transport and economic infrastructure, but with the current train fleet being 16 years past its estimated lifespan, the service is at risk of full withdrawal. Transport for London (TfL) is seeking to upgrade the line with new rolling stock, which would enable the line to run 27 trains per hour rather than the current 20, as well as making the service more comfortable and reliable for passengers. The first phase of the proposed extension is via the Old Kent Road, with new tube stations at New Cross Gate and Lewisham. The second phase would take the Bakerloo Line beyond Lewisham to Hayes and Beckenham Junction, making use of the existing National Rail line by converting it to a London Underground operation. This would see Ladywell, Catford Bridge, and Lower Sydenham stations integrated into the tube network, helping support development in the south east of London and enabling capacity on the wider rail network. A recent impact assessment highlights the significant benefits the project will bring nationwide, including injecting at least an extra £1.5 billion into the UK economy per annum, unlocking the delivery of 107,000 new homes in London, and supporting 150,000 good jobs. Councillor Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council (Image: Lewisham Council) Councillor Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council, said: "The time has come for the Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension – a shovel-ready project that would unlock thousands of new homes along the line and bring a national economic growth boost of £1.5 billion, creating thousands of jobs across the UK supply chain." Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres (Image: Lewisham Council) Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres, said: "For too long south east London has been excluded from the world-class London Underground Network and the benefits of being a well-connected inner London borough. "With Lewisham wages nearly 40 per cent lower on average than neighbouring boroughs, the Bakerloo line extension would be a game-changer for unlocking inclusive growth and opportunities not just in the south east but across the UK." Councillor Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said: "The Bakerloo Line is an iconic part of London's underground, its history, and its culture. "It connects our great landmarks, from Wembley to the West End, and is a vital part of economic infrastructure - with one in six jobs in London within a 12-minute walk of a station. "But the significant challenges facing the ageing line – and its 10 stations that fall in the borough of Brent – put it at risk of total failure." Councillor Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council and chair of Central London Forward, said: "The Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension is vital to London and the UK's drive for inclusive growth and to tackle the housing crisis. "We urgently need to build more homes in every part of the country and in London, that means finding new areas for development. "The project would unlock the delivery of 107,000 new homes in London, playing a major role in meeting the Government's housebuilding targets. "It would also mean improving air quality by taking 20,000 car journeys off the road each day, supporting inclusive growth across London." The project has overwhelming support, backed by the Mayor of London, TfL, and London Councils. As per TfL's most recent public consultation, of the nearly 9,000 respondents, an overwhelming 89 per cent expressed their support of the Bakerloo Line Extension proposals.
