London is a vibrant and welcoming city, but it also faces a number of challenges. From the housing crisis that affects the poorest and millennials to the uncertainty caused by the EU referendum, Londoners must come up with new solutions to make their existing infrastructure work better for all. The high cost of housing is a major issue, leading to exploitation at work, mental health issues, and other problems. Organizations like Living Streets and Smartworks are working to make streets easier to use and help people find jobs, respectively.
Meanwhile, Wayfinder is helping visually impaired people travel independently around the capital. Despite these efforts, there are still enormous variations in wealth and access to jobs in London, making it difficult for many people to make ends meet. The city is also facing infrastructure issues as transport budgets are being cut and large projects remain uncertain. To address this, the national charity Living Streets has launched the Time to Cross campaign to increase road crossing times for older citizens. This campaign was successful in prompting Transport for London to review its policy.
Additionally, a former 85-hectare industrial site at Enfield Meridian Water is being transformed into a new community with 5000 homes, a school, and other facilities. Londoners are feeling the strain of these issues, with two out of five elderly people in the city citing the economy as the most important problem facing London. This is in contrast to only a quarter of young people aged 18-24 who share this concern. It's clear that London needs more solutions to ensure that everyone can live comfortably and safely in this great city.
