Transportation top issue for London taxpayers

Transportation has taken over as the top issue in London.

A survey done by Ipsos for London city hall found transportation was the number one issue for Londoners by a wide margin.

36 per cent of Londoners chose transportation as the most pressing issue. In fact, more Londoners chose transportation as the top issue than all the other issues combined.

It highlights a surge in interest in public transit in the Forest City. In 2013, only 10 per cent of Londoners named it their number one issue.

Ipsos attributed the month’s long debate over rapid transit as the reason for the spike in interest. 10 per cent responded they supported rapid transit while 4 per cent said they were opposed.

Back in late July, London city council approved the master plan for bus rapid transit by a 10-2 vote. A 45-day public consultation period began Aug. 3.

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It isn’t just rapid transit that is sparking interest in transportation, 17 per cent of respondents said current public transit was inadequate, the same as last year.

Infrastructure and development was the only other issue to receive double digit support with 11 per cent choosing it as their top issue. Poverty, jobs, city council, taxes, affordable housing and drug addiction rounded out the top issues for Londoners. Poverty received the most mentions among that group at five per cent.

Compared to the national norm, Londoners are less likely to single out economics or taxes as an important issue.

In fact, a majority of taxpayers would support raising taxes to either maintain or expand services with 55 per cent supporting a tax hike compared to 31 per cent who wanted to cut services. Most Londoners would rather increase taxes to maintain services rather than raise them to expand services.

A year into the city hall led Service London initiative, the survey found there is a perception that timeliness when receiving city services is down. While a vast majority of Londoners say they are satisfied with city services that number has declined and is now significantly below the national norm.

Overall, 95 per cent of Londoners believe quality of life in the city is good.

The survey will be reviewed at Monday’s strategic priorities and policy committee.