Ahead of Car Free Day next week, what work are you and TfL doing to raise awareness of events across participating boroughs?

Thank you. Toxic air pollution in our city is a public health crisis. We know that more than 50% of London’s harmful air is caused by vehicles. As part of our ongoing commitment to make London a greener and healthier city for Londoners I am working with a number of London boroughs to deliver London’s biggest ever Car Free Day celebration on Sunday, 22 September [2019]. Car Free Day will allow hundreds of thousands of Londoners of all ages to leave the car at home, explore our city by foot or on bike and get involved in hundreds of free activities.

As well as my Central London Car Free Day event, at least 13 boroughs will be hosting their own community events on Car Free Day and a number of boroughs will be supporting local ‘play streets’, where streets will be closed for local residents. In total there will be over 200 ‘play streets’ running across London on that day. I have provided funding through my Air Quality Fund to boroughs and residents to help them develop local programmes. This includes funding 250 car‑free schemes ranging from ‘play streets’ and one‑off events like e‑bike trials, bike repairs and pocket parks through to more permanent pedestrianisation schemes. To ensure Londoners hear about these incredible events TfL has been promoting them through its advertising channels with community organisations including RideLondon, Open House, the City of London and Living Streets as well as TfL’s School Travel Programme.

We are also providing boroughs with a pack of free promotional materials they can customise. Ten boroughs are already using the materials to promote their events and tell residents about fun activities, street picnics to music and entertainment. My team is working closely with London boroughs to co‑ordinate all our many Car Free Day activities.

Florence Eshalomi AM: Great. Thank you for that, Mr Mayor. It is really important. I know you are working with a number of boroughs and I am quite proud that my two boroughs, Lambeth and Southwark, are two of the boroughs working with you and TfL.

You said in July [2019] 19 boroughs had already signed up to take part. Do you know what the final tally of all the participating boroughs is in London? Has there been more of a take up, especially by some of the outer London boroughs?

Chair, in July I said that 19 boroughs were taking part in this Scheme and I am really happy to correct the record today to say it is not 19 taking part, there are now 27 taking part which is fantastic news.

Florence Eshalomi AM:  That is fantastic. You have already said that this is a really big issue. Obviously you will recall that I think it was in 2016 the Environmental Audit Committee at Parliament said this is a national health emergency. The fact is 10,000 people in London are dying a year from this and we need to get more people out of their cars. Cars are the most polluting thing in terms of air quality. Do you think then that is quite worrying that the Conservatives have branded this Car Free Day as a public relations (PR) stunt when Londoners are dying from poor air quality?

I would be astonished if Conservatives call this a PR stunt but then these are the same Conservatives that opposed bringing in the ULEZ this year and the same Conservatives who think carparks are infrastructure rather than encouraging people to walk, cycle and use public transport. That is why it is really important for Londoners to know if you want an administration that is on the side of cleaning up the air, that is on the side of walking, cycling and public transport do not vote Conservative.

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?

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.

Florence Eshalomi AM:  Thank you, Mr Mayor, I will leave it there.