Mayoral candidates talk IT ahead of polls

Ken Livingstone is hoping his technology track record will help him get re-elected this week

As Londoners go to the polls today, Computing has examined the technology policies of the three mayoral candidates.

Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick all have different views on how technology can be used.

Last week Paddick pledged to turn London into the WiFi capital of the world, with 10 new schemes in the inner city providing free access to the internet.

“London is a 21st century city and as mayor, I would want to see 21st century technology accessible to all,” he said.

Paddick also promised to work with computer recycling charities such as Computer Aid to narrow the digital divide in the UK.

Neither Johnson nor Livingstone have matched the WiFi pledge, but they have made other IT commitments. Despite several attempts, neither campaign was willing to speak to Computing on the subject.

One of Johnson’s main campaigning points is a plan to make City Hall more accountable by publishing a register of adviser’s interests and publishing accounts online.

Johnson’s backboris.com site does include links to social networking sites Facebook, Digg and Del.icio.us. Livingstone and Paddick have yet to embrace Web 2.0 on their sites.

Livingstone, who instigated the £117m iBus GPS tracking system, said the scheme will be rolled out to more routes in London.

He will also extend the use of Oyster card to cover more national rail services as well as introducing technology to allow Oyster top-up via mobile phones.

And last month he revealed further plans to Computing.

“We are marvelling at the multiple possibilities of Oyster, but come back here in 10 years’ time and we will have chips inserted under our skin or inside our heads,” he said.