Central London Alliance comments on tube strikes

Central London Alliance, a Community Interest Company, was founded because of the perceived lack of concern, relative silence and failure to consider the urgency of actions to mitigate the disastrous impact of COVID-19, lockdown and the government’s reaction to these.

The original purpose of Central London Alliance (CLA) was to support a sustainable, economic recovery of London’s business, hospitality, cultural, tourism, and retail sectors and to help both employers and workers to survive through coronavirus and beyond. Politically independent and supported by organisations of varying sizes and sectors, the Central London Alliance CIC has worked to drive a strong economic recovery of central London, ensuring its continued viability as a leading global city.

It appears that memories are short, little has been learned and there is still insufficient recognition of the importance of the mobility of workers, visitors, residents, students and investors to access workplaces, businesses and venues.

Cancellations and postponements have had a devastating impact on London’s hospitality sector, which is already impacted by job taxes (including employers’ national insurance threshold and contribution changes, which disproportionality impact on high employment businesses in the hotel, restaurant, venue and retail sectors). The national trade body, UK Hospitality has estimated a £600 million cost to be sector from the latest industrial action at a time when London and its businesses can least afford it; already burdened with punitive business rates (a 21st century window tax which severely impacts property related businesses – but not high profit digital businesses with remote workers).

Whilst up to 10 million people used to travel into London – for work, leisure, events, entertainment and more, the total wider commercial damage is far more costly; for London and Londoners and the wider UK economy for which London contributes very significant sums.

The silence from central government and those in charge of London reminds the CLA of the post lockdown period and follows a familiar post COVID-19 pattern. We appear to have learned little, and those in positions to recognise the impact on London and act accordingly have not sufficiently valued the importance of London, its productivity, and its massive contribution to the diminishing soft power of UK plc.