AAA White Paper The political economy of informal events, 2030 | Page 75
“ Transport, and obviously the Night
Tube on Fridays and Saturdays, is
a key enabler for night events in
London. However, the converse also
holds: night events benefit transport
operators. In London, they’ve already
helped raise usage of night buses.
“ The extra transport demand
created by night-time events can
grease the wheels for 24-hour
transport generally. After all, a third
of Night Tube users are workers.
Nightlife and night transport
therefore make for timetables that
help get shift workers to and from
work. Looking toward 2030, they
could also usher in a congestion-
busting, quiet culture of London
deliveries in the small hours.
amenities, they make new, local
housing developments more
attractive. They also increase
revenues for retail and hospitality
firms that are open around local
transport nodes at night. So for 2030
we need to be thinking about how
nightlife, housing, the High Street
and hospitality can work together
to make a stronger, more successful
24-hour economy – good sleep for
residents included! And we need a
planning and licensing framework
that supports that.
“ Unfortunately, many boroughs
still see nightlife as a problem
to be managed, rather than an
opportunity. But let’s remember: a
street at night that’s full of people
because of an event can be safer
than a street at night that’s empty. ”
“ The Docklands Light Railway (DLR),
for instance, doesn’t presently run
at night. But say it did, and really
linked up entertainment hubs. Then
East London night workers, currently
ill-served by public transport, would
also gain.
“ Crossrail and its newbuild
successors will run overnight,
and, as London’s old Tube lines
get refurbished, so by 2030 they’ll
likely join today’s five Night lines in
working Friday and Saturday nights.
Executive director in charge of
economy and tax at business
campaigners London First, on
transport – and London as a
truly 24-hour city
“ In fact, night events don’t just
boost demand for transport. As
Dr David
Lutton
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