Understanding the role of Data for London Library in the city’s future
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has officially launched Data for London Library, a cutting-edge urban digital infrastructure that interconnects datasets held by various city organizations. The goal is clear: support the seamless functioning of a real smart city.
Essential to powering AI systems and digital infrastructure, the platform is revolutionizing how London collects and uses data to enhance public services, drive growth, and build a more inclusive and sustainable city.
What is Data for London?
Data for London Library replaces the former London Datastore, created in 2010 and once considered one of the most advanced urban digital infrastructures in Europe.
Unlike its predecessor, the new platform enables dynamic and interactive management of information. Environmental, climate, energy, infrastructure, and mobility data can now be cross-referenced and visualized using predictive analytics tools and intelligent dashboards.
The result is a data-driven system that can instantly respond to city needs, from climate adaptation and traffic management to urban service planning.
The platform is powered by datasets from key London partners, including Transport for London, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Office for National Statistics, and the boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Camden, and Redbridge.
“The Data for London Library shows how the public sector can take steps to make datasets more accessible and usable. By opening access to data across the capital, it offers a pragmatic model that others can learn from,” said Stuart Coleman, Director at the Open Data Institute and member of the Data for London advisory board.
What is the purpose of an advanced urban digital infrastructure?
A natural question emerges: what can a platform of this scale truly achieve?
Among the current operational features of Data for London Library, the city highlights:
- Improving air quality by creating a climate risk map to monitor heatwaves and support adaptation strategies.
“This allows us to issue pollution alerts for Londoners, helping those with health conditions sensitive to pollution live healthier lives,” its creators explain. - Providing transparent data on home energy efficiency to help local councils identify and prioritize housing renovations.
- Smart traffic management with real-time data and an updated map of EV charging stations.
- Combating housing poverty through homelessness monitoring, offering strategic insight for awareness and intervention.
Ethics and privacy come first
A defining element of the platform is its ethical approach to data governance. All datasets are anonymized and used under principles of transparency, security, and respect for privacy.
As the largest tech hub in Europe and the second globally, London is reaffirming its leadership on the global stage with this new infrastructure. It is a forward-looking step in building a resilient, digital, and inclusive smart city.
“The AI systems of tomorrow depend heavily on the quality and volume of the data they’re trained on, so our goal now is to integrate more data sources into the Data for London Library and simplify complex data-sharing agreements. This will strengthen the city’s strategic position at the forefront of the data and AI revolution. That’s how we can build a better, fairer, and more prosperous London for all,” concludes Theo Blackwell MBE, London’s Chief Digital Officer.