The inclusive city: transport equity in New York and London
This panel brings together transport experts from New York and London to examine the challenge of transport equity in both cities. It explores how leaders such as Sadiq Khan and newly elected Zoran Mamdani can use existing powers and resources to better serve underserved residents, and what trade-offs that may require.
Framed around what a fair and inclusive transport system looks like in a modern global city, the discussion assesses how equitable London’s and New York’s systems are today and the obstacles ahead for progressive mayors. It reviews who has benefited from major transport interventions—such as congestion pricing, low-emission zones, road space reallocation, and public transport expansion—and who remains left behind. Treating transport equity as a practical policy challenge, the panel considers the politics, feasibility, and costs of proposed solutions.
Acknowledging both the similarities and differences in how Mamdani and Khan approach these issues, the panel asks:
• Who has not been well served by recent transport policy in London and New York?
• What does transport equity mean in practice—accessibility, affordability, reliability, or something else?
• How should scarce road space be allocated among drivers, deliveries, buses, cyclists, and pedestrians?
• Who should pay for transport investment and services, and what role should fare revenue play?
• Do the approaches of leaders like Mamdani and Khan reflect broader social-justice commitments, or pragmatic responses to the pressures of high-density, high-cost cities?
Meet our speakers and chair
Kate Ascher is the Paul Milstein Professor of Professional Practice of Urban Development at Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she teaches courses on real estate, infrastructure and urban planning. She also serves in an advisory capacity to Buro Happold’s U.S. Cities Group, the consulting practice that she founded and led for a decade within the global engineering firm.
Sam Schwartz is the Chair and Founder of the Transportation Research Program at Roosevelt House at Hunter College. He was CEO of Sam Schwartz Engineering from 1995-2021. He wrote a column on transportation for The New York Daily News from 1990 to 2022. Previously, Mr. Schwartz was New York City’s Traffic Commissioner and was the Chief Engineer of the NYC Department of Transportation. He started his transportation career in the late 1960’s as a NYC cabbie and joined the Traffic Department as a junior engineer in 1971.
Val Shawcross CBE served as Deputy Mayor for Transport for Greater London Authority, where she oversaw London’s transport strategy and investment during a period of significant reform and expansion. Her tenure focused on improving accessibility, strengthening public transport, and advancing active travel across the capital.Prior to joining the Mayor’s team, Val represented Lambeth and Southwark on the London Assembly from 2000 to 2016. Between 2008 and 2016, she served as the Labour Group’s transport spokesperson, alternating as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Assembly Transport Committee.
Tony Travers CBE is Director of LSE London, Professor in Practice in the LSE Department of Government, and Associate Dean of the LSE School of Public Policy. He is one of the UK’s leading experts on public finance, local and regional government, and the governance of London. His key research interests include local and regional government, elections and public service reform. He provides expert analysis for broadcast and print media, regularly appearing on major television and radio networks.
Ben Rogers is a Distinguished Policy Fellow in Government Innovation at LSE Cities. He is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading thinkers on urban governance, public service reform and the future of city leadership. Ben has worked across local and central government, including as a team leader in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, where he focused on planning, urban design and quality of place. He previously served as Associate Director at the Institute for Public Policy Research and was a member of the London Finance Commission.
More about this event
LSE Cities is an international centre that investigates the complexities of the contemporary city. It carries out research, graduate and executive education, engagement and advisory activities in London and abroad.
The LSE School of Public Policy (@LSEPublicPolicy) equips you with the skills and ideas to transform people and societies. It is an international community where ideas and practice meet. Their approach creates professionals with the ability to analyse, understand and resolve the challenges of contemporary governance.
The Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (Columbia GSAPP) was founded in 1881 as one of the first schools of its kind in the United States. The School’s community of students, faculty, and alumni engage one another in a spirit of intellectual generosity to develop new methods for the practices of architecture and the built environment. Its distinguished faculty includes some of the world’s greatest thinkers, practitioners, and scholars leading the field of architecture, urban design and planning, historic preservation, and real estate development.
Any questions?
You can also contact us at spp.events@lse.ac.uk.
From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend that if you plan to attend this event you check back on this listing on the day of the event.
Whilst we are hosting this listing, LSE Events does not take responsibility for the running and administration of this event. While we take responsible measures to ensure that accurate information is given here this event is ultimately the responsibility of the organisation presenting the event.
LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.