Report came out today by the London Assembly – my old stomping ground. It’s the findings of their investigation into how the emergency services and other coped with the London bombings and what problems were encountered.

It’s a really good piece of work. I suppose the overarching and key finding was that all the planning that went into London’s emergency planning post 9/11 was about the emergency services. What emerged clearly from the investigation was that the survivors and public’s needs had not even been factored into the equation. This report is the first to give voice to the needs of those caught up in the events of 7/7 and its findings and recommendations should be taken seriously and implemented.

The main things in terms of the emergency services was the lack of communications. The radio and mobile networks did not suffice and hospital staff found themselves having to go and see what was happening to their crews at the scenes ‘cos they couldn’t contact them. The train drivers couldn’t communicate with their controllers or the passengers. Once the City Police – completely autonomously – closed down the mobile networks except unto a few special exceptions – no-one could contact anyone. So that was a disaster – not just for the services – but ordinary people couldn’t find or contact loved ones to let them know where they were or how they were. And it is somewhat arrogant of the City Police to decide that theirs was the only need to be addressed by the plan or their actions. So much room for improvement there.

There were also eye-witness accounts of ambulances turning up without any proper equipments and so on. All things which need grabbing hold of and making sure that checking systems are in place.

Great plaudits, of course, for the bravery of the staff of the services involved – and not a report about blame – but a report that looks at the things that didn’t go right on the day and the needs of all those involved in terms of future disaster planning.

Of course, the problem with London Assembly reports is that the recommendations have no teeth and therefore there is no compulsion to implement the findings. That’s one reason why we still need a proper public enquiry. The other is that the voice of the people still has not had proper public hearing nor have the public had the opportunity to scrutinise the investigation in public on matters that we all, as Londoners, have a right to have analysed to the same level as the scrutiny in America which did hold a public enquiry.

Footnote to the day – was Mayor Livingstone demonstrating his petty-minded, grubby approach to statesmanship. His comment on the Assembly’s work was that it was ‘nitpicking’. Don’t suppose the relatives and friends of those who died, or the survivors, or the rest of London will be impressed that he places so little value on finding out what happened and making sure we are better prepared in the event that we come under attack again. Well done Ken – generous as ever!