Leading lights from the business and policy world packed out London First's inaugural London Infrastructure Summit at Kings Cross last week.

London Mayor Boris Johnson set the tone and led the discussion with some of the capital's key business leaders at the first ever London focused infrastructure conference last week. A brief overview of the event with links to audi and video clips of the discussion and key moments from the day has been assembled to give a flavour of the occasion. 

Current Momentum on Infrastructure

London First Chairman Philip Dilley set the tone for the Summit in his welcome address, saying London infrastructure had taken huge strides forward recently and there was a real sense of momentum building.

But with that optimism came the inevitable caveat that, with the projected growth in the capital, there was no room for complacency. This was quickly reinforced by Bechtel’s Head of Urban Development, Jason Robinson, who reminded delegates that London’s population is projected to reach 10m around 2030. 

A need for political consensus that lasted beyond a single electoral cycle, more financial powers for the Mayor, and a need to better engage with the public were key arguments in the discussion about London’s needs from a long-term infrastructure plan.

The session’s chair, Isabel Dedring, the Deputy Mayor for Transport, also did her best to lay out the GLA’s vision for London in 2050 in a mere three minutes or so.

The Mayor’s remarks

Then, fresh off his bike, the Mayor of London, took to the stage with typical aplomb. Throwing his weight behind Crossrail 2, Boris Johnson said it should be completed in 2029 - not the mid-2030s as mooted by some officials. 

He courted controversy about HS2, saying: “Being honest, of all the things out there, HS2 is a great idea but I think there are many other better ideas…Crossrail 2 has a better business case than HS2 and so does the [estuary] airport.” 

However, he also played to the crowd in his inimitable fashion with predictions about London in 2050. These included Birmingham becoming a London suburb and re-colonising Northern France to ease overcrowding in the Capital. 

Current and future challenges

But serious matters prevailed again quickly, with discussions on how to pay for future London infrastructure, how to make Crossrail 2 a reality, and how to build long-term consensus on London’s infrastructure needs.

Then in a novel new format, the conference hosted a ‘speed dating’ panel on the right airport solution for London. Proponents of five major plans for airport expansion were given just three minutes to win over the audience to their plans. 

In his closing remarks in the final session, Sir Edward Lister, the Deputy Mayor for Planning at the GLA, reminded delegates (if such a reminder were necessary) that the wider UK is far from convinced of London’s value.

“The rest of the country does not like what is happening in London,” he said. “We have a fundamental problem: they want to turn the tap off; they believe the money should be spent elsewhere. One of the big issues we’ve got is actually selling that issue to the rest of the country that investing in London is good for the whole country.”

It was clear from the Summit that there is a lot to be optimistic about in London, but much work remains if business wants to keep the momentum going, let alone realise the Capital’s true potential.

Michael Miller is media manager at London First

(London First Infrastructure Summit - Infrastructure Intelligence editor Antony Oliver's view is here)