Young Londoners will help shape the capital's transport network as Transport for London (TfL) becomes one of the first UK transport organizations to have representation of people under the age of 25 at senior meetings.

Beginning next week, a member of the TfL Youth Panel will actively represent the views of young Londoners at TfL's quarterly Safety, Sustainability, and Human Resources Panel (SSHRP) and Customer Service and Operational Performance Panel (CSOPP) meetings.

The young representatives will work with all 30 TfL Youth Panel members to review papers in advance of the meetings and formulate questions and suggestions they wish to put to TfL leaders and panel members.

Youth Impact on Transit

With more than one-third of the capital's population under the age of 25, it is vital that TfL seeks the views of young people to ensure the transport network is safe, accessible, and inclusive for this demographic.

Ho-Kit Lam, 20, has been appointed to represent the Youth Panel at the SSHRP meetings. Applications to become the first panel representative for the CSOPP meetings will open among current members later this month, with both appointed members to represent the Youth Panel for a year before passing on to another member.

"As a young Londoner, I have seen how diverse our communities are,” said Lam. “We are looking forward to working with TfL's senior leaders to make London more inclusive and give a chance for all to decide on how London will be safer, greener, and more sustainable in the future."

TfL’s Youth Panel

Last fall, TfL's Youth Panel launched an independent report focusing on making London's transport network more equitable, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable. The report, “Tomorrow's TfL: The Youth Panel's Vision for the Future,” was the result of 12 months of research, which saw the panel take an in-depth look at these topics and engage with experts and thought leaders to produce their findings, including holding public hearings at City Hall.

The report sets out nine policy recommendations on how TfL and the Mayor of London can make transport in London more sustainable and inclusive. This included TfL Youth Panel representation at senior meetings, introducing Youth Travel Ambassadors across London, and publishing proposals to overcome the barriers to sustainable travel, with a focus on ethnic minority groups, people with physical and mental health conditions, and those from deprived backgrounds.

TfL’s Reaction to Youth Panel

TfL supports the findings of the Youth Panel, adding that the report highlights critical issues and evidence that are central to TfL's vision of being the strong green heartbeat for London and for progressing environmental and social sustainability.

Building on existing efforts and progress to date, TfL will work closely with the Youth Panel to take forward these recommendations and to explore other key challenges facing young people in the capital.

TfL's recently published ambitious new customer plan, “Equity in Motion,” is a key part of this response to the Youth Panel's recommendations. The plan commits to more than 80 actions to ensure as many Londoners as possible can access and benefit from public transport and that London's transport network is welcoming and inclusive.

The wide-ranging commitments in the plan cover key areas for improvements around accessible travel, keeping customers safe, understanding customers, affordable travel, inclusive information, and connecting Londoners.