Community Life

Dozens came out to hear the Mayor talk frankly.  He covered a range of issues including Transport for London’s take over of tramlink which, he says, will greatly  improve the service for people in the borough, particularly those living in New Addington.

He also promised an increase in the number of police officers on the streets and was optimistic about the potential for growth in business in the borough.

Ken Livingston with BID members

The event organised by Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) is the latest in its series of Mayoral election events. 

Boris Johnson led the way; Brian Paddick will meet the business community next.

“On the back of Boris Johnson’s visit we were really pleased to see another good turnout today for the Mayor’s visit,” said Brian Stapleton, Chief Executive of Croydon Business.

memories of the past

Mr Livingstone began by invoking his childhood memories of visiting the borough.

“As a youngster I watched the growth of Croydon town centre and it seemed like the most modern place on earth,” recalled Livingstone. “But like most of the other London suburbs, in the last thirty years or so there hasn’t been the level of investment to really modernise and renew.”

“The key thing about Croydon is that after The City itself, and the Isle of Dogs, this is the third largest area in terms of concentration of office jobs,” he acknowledged.

Defending his decision to open offices abroad, he reassured businesses that this, together with the planned improvement in transport links to the borough, will result in many more countries investing in Croydon.

“The key to expansion here in Croydon has to be transport,” he said. “You will be delighted to know that the extension of the East London line down to Crystal Palace and to Croydon is actually on schedule and on budget. It will open in 2010.”

To hear an extract of Mr Livingstone’s speech, click onto the link below or top right hand of this page.