The Green Alliance hosted the Greener London Hustings on 4th March 2016 offering an opportunity for the top four London mayoral candidates to answer questions on Green London Issues. The hustings can be listened to here: and a summary of the topics and their answers follow:
Candidates:
Zac Goldsmith, Conservative
Caroline Pidgeon, LibDem
Sian Berry, Green
Sadiq Khan, Labour
Air quality: phasing out diesel taxis & hire vehicles, buses on clean fuel? (@ 15.10 mins)
Zac: yes, & retrofit older taxis (£6,000 each), buses ULEZ compliant
Caroline: yes, & help taxis by leasing/ subsidising electric versions/bulk buying/better electric charging points/charging diesels in central zone.
Sian: yes, & retrofit & leasing, also new congestion charging system so that fewer cars.
Sadiq: MPs recommended scrappage scheme for diesel vehicles, ULEZ to be expanded, improve charging infrastructure, pedestrianize Oxford St (300 buses per hour at present).
Protecting schools & hospitals from pollution? (@ 24.40 mins)
Zac: make sure work vehicles retrofitted
Caroline: more tree planting, bring forward ULEZ
Sian: extend clean air zones round buildings, extend mini-Holland schemes.
Sadiq: bike spaces for hospitals, extend “walking to school” routes, TfL “walking champions”.
Commit to walking first? (@ 32.54 mins)
Zac: more “pocket parks”, expand mini-Hollands with public support (Enfield not working because no public involvement).
Caroline: better traffic crossings, pedestrianize Oxford St & all Soho, support Play Areas
Sian: expand mini-Hollands, levy on supermarkets to donate to town centres
Sadiq: more Green Corridors, expand King’s Cross type areas – though difficult when privately owned.
Safer cycling? (@ 40.44 mins)
Zac: sort out junctions, HGVs should be removed at school hours – improve consolidation centres
Caroline: agree, & increase cycling budget, engage communities
Sian: agree, & continue funding for super highways
Sadiq: agree, consolidation effective during Olympic Games, & more quiet ways, planning for storage, hire, & flyovers for cycles.
Commit to Solar City (10 fold increase) – 1% at present? (@ 51.03 mins)
Zac: still 5% return on solar, tariffs determined by EU, new planning should make roof space available (as in Bristol)
Caroline: audit all GLA buildings, including Fire & Police, also large retailers
Sian: London behind other regions, should be 30% solar
Sadiq: King’s Cross gets 10% solar energy, agree GLA properties & design of new buildings, encourage local initiatives (as in Brixton).
Give low income families warm efficient homes? (@ 58.18 mins)
Zac: create a market, can encourage private landlords but not compel, housing associations?
Caroline: target areas where problems – landlords can claim against tax.
Sian: create register of private landlords, regulate rents and letting standards.
Sadiq: create not-for-profit letting agency (done successfully in Nottingham).
Green spaces? (@ 1hr 09.12 mins)
Zac: Create “Tsar” to maintain green areas, vision of National Park City good, but not garden bridge. Clean up Thames. Note that Sadiq has voted to build on Green Belt and for Heathrow expansion.
Caroline: agree to Tsar with clout, & National Park City, protect Green Belt, not garden bridge (£60million of which £30million from govt – should go to parks)
Sian: agree to Tsar in order to deal with different agencies, & National Park City.
Sadiq: no separate Tsar, ?garden bridge
Recycle 50% of waste? (@ 1hr 14.15 mins)
Zac: LAs responsible but single set of standards over whole GLA, make producer responsible, work towards zero waste city.
Caroline: LAs do it best, but can have dedicated recycling in transport network.
Sian: Mayor could co-ordinate systems & encourage reduction, eg single use plastic bottles.
Sadiq: have ambitious recycling target, no more incinerators
The Green Alliance “is now the leading UK think tank working on environmental policy and politics“. They have also published a ‘Greener London’ publication discussing their ideas for the new Mayor.