Orbital Route
Diane went on to stress how the importance of an orbital route in London, going through Hackney and all the way to south London, cannot be overstated. She said: “It is beneficial in terms of regeneration and employment—we have serious unemployment and underemployment problems in east London—and it is beneficial for London as a city.” She added: “this is not just a London issue, but a national one. Investing in the London infrastructure benefits the national economy.” She went on: “in London we have pockets of tremendous poverty and deprivation. Infrastructure investment is key to tackling those problems.”
Diane, who regularly meets with top Transport for London officials to keep up to date with progress on the important East London Line, congratulated TfL on the work done on the line and stressed the need for funding for the next stage to be made available. She urged the Minister to defy the scepticism of MPs outside the M25 and “bear in mind the importance of the progress of the infrastructure investment, not just for Londoners but for the country as a whole.”
Diane concluded: “If the Government are serious about dealing with social exclusion and child poverty, and if they are serious about engaging with all of our diverse communities, they should be serious about investing in London’s infrastructure.”
Notes for editors:
1. The Orbital Rail Network comprises the North London Railway (the North London Line, the London Euston to Watford Junction local line, the West London Line from Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction via Kensington Olympia, the Gospel Oak to Barking Line) and the East London Line phases 1 and 2.
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