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Video: Interview with Mike Brown, Transport Commissioner for London

Modernising and improving London's vast and vital road network is central to driving the economy of the capital, explains Mike Brown.

“We have £4bn that we are investing to modernise London’s road network and it is the first time that there has been any serious investment in the network for decades," explains Mike Brown, Transport Commissioner for London, speaking to Infrastructure Intelligence in the ACOonAir Highays Hangout at the recent Highways UK event.

"It is about improving critical junctions and improving routes for cyclists and buses and tackling some of the underlying condition of the network assets," he adds. "It is planned asset management and we really haven’t had the opportunity to do that before. It really does contribute to the economic success of the city.”

The challenge, says Brown, is identifying what really matters for customers across the capital and reducing congestion across the mulitple transport modes on the road network.

“We need to be more imaginative about how we tackle the reality that London does have finite road space. It has got competing users," he explains.

"Whether it is the great increase in cycling that we have seen and people wanting safe segregated ways to cycle and move about the city, or about pedestrians where our footways are getting more busy, or keeping the bus network moving, helping the frieght industry to support the movement of goods or, of course, cars and taxis and other users of the network.” 

The key, he says, is making people sure of their journey time.

"People want more certainty of the time that their journey will take - whether that is cycling or in a car or on a bus. Certainty is really important. Harnessing technology and data is very important.”

If you would like to contact Antony Oliver about this, or any other story, please email antony.oliver@infrastructure-intelligence.com.