Jonathan Fenby’s Observer article critiques London’s state, highlighting the need for a new vision.
Jonathan Fenby wrote an excellent piece in today’s Observer (which thankfully I have found online and can link to) about the state of the British capital. I admit that I hoped Ken would help sort some of the mess this city is in. An integrated public transport system, clean and safer streets, etc. I bought into the whole idea of a new vision for London. But, as Fenby writes, “The snag is the man who should be providing it shows himself better at getting elected mayor than giving his city a new start.” Perhaps it is too much to hope that one man could change the attitudes of the society in this city. Many people just accept the way it is, and perhaps, if most people are OK with the state of London, then this is the way it should be.
I know that I am talking very generally. What should I add to The Observer piece? London transport is overcrowded, dirty and smelly. When it runs, it’s acceptable, but when it doesn’t run, then the whole system falls apart. Last week’s rain brought large chunks of the system to a halt. Rain, for goodness sake, it’s the one thing we know we are going to get here. Yesterday, I was standing on the Northern Line, and there “there is no service” announcements must have gone on for ten minutes.
Ah, and I survived the party quite well – although I did feel a little rough this morning. It didn’t finish until gone two in the morning and ended with us watching old episodes of The Tube. Perhaps I should have left earlier.