Mayor praises hard work and co-operation for successful Carnival

Press Release

Mayor praises hard work and co-operation for successful Carnival
27-8-2002 394

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, has praised the hard work and co-operation between the different organisations that contributed to the success of Notting Hill Carnival at the weekend.

The Mayor said:

'The Notting Hill Carnival Trust did an excellent job in producing one of the highlights of London's cultural calendar, particularly after their much publicised problems earlier this year. Safety was a consideration for all the agencies involved in Carnival and, following recommendations made by the Carnival Review Group, the Trust also implemented a route change. This seems to have helped ease congestion on the route and I hope it increased the enjoyment of carnivalists and revellers alike.'

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens briefed the Mayor at New Scotland Yard on Monday. The Mayor praised the policing operation:

'The police have built up an incredible body of expertise through experience. No other police force in the world has such a skilful operation as this. Around 450,000 people attended Children's Sunday and 850,000 turned out on Carnival Monday, and the police did an excellent job dealing with a small number of troublemakers, whilst enabling people to enjoy themselves.'

Lee Jasper, Senior Policy Advisor to the Mayor, and Mayor's Policy Advisor Claudia Webbe attended Carnival on behalf of the Mayor. Lee Jasper, who chairs the Mayor's Carnival Review Group, also praised the cooperation of the agencies involved in the festival and said they would now be looking towards next year. Lee Jasper said:

'Notting Hill Carnival is a showcase of Caribbean culture, but it is also a showcase for London. It is a complex event involving the strategic and practical support of many organisations and this year's success highlights the benefits of inter-agency co-operation.

'The Carnival review process has already started to bear fruit in terms of addressing safety and protecting its arts and cultural heritage. The success of this weekend's Carnival is an excellent foundation from which to begin planning for next year and in particular to start thinking about how Carnival can establish a more secure financial footing. The Mayor's economic agency, the London Development Agency, is undertaking research into the economic benefits of Carnival, which it is hoped will contribute to that process.'

Notes to Editors

Following recommendations of the Mayor's Carnival Review Group, this year saw the introduction of an interim route change, with the parade moving in the opposite direction and following an open 'horseshoe' shape instead of a circle.
The Mayor, the MPS and the MPA are all committed to introducing a safer, non-circular route for Carnival in the long-term. The study into route options and safety issues commissioned by the Mayor and conducted by pedestrian safety experts Intelligent Space is due to be completed after this year’s Carnival.
The London Development Agency research into the economic benefits of Carnival is due to be published later this year.

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