:00:12. > :00:15.Welcome to BBC London News with me Alice Bhandhukravi.
:00:16. > :00:19.With the go-ahead given tonight for Theresa May to start
:00:20. > :00:22.negotiations on Britain's departure from the EU, there's some
:00:23. > :00:25.uncertainty over how Brexit could affect the capital's workforce
:00:26. > :00:32.With many workers coming from abroad, there are fears major
:00:33. > :00:34.infrastructure projects could be affected.
:00:35. > :00:42.Does Brexit mean boom or bust for our builders?
:00:43. > :00:48.Well, the forecast was gloomy but today, new figures from one
:00:49. > :00:51.Well, the forecast was gloomy but today new figures from one
:00:52. > :00:52.respected source say things are looking up.
:00:53. > :00:55.The construction sector in the capital is holding up really well.
:00:56. > :00:57.It's underpinned by big infrastructure projects,
:00:58. > :00:59.things like High Speed 2, the Thames Tideway tunnels and also
:01:00. > :01:01.housing projects, like this, which are going forward.
:01:02. > :01:04.Even though there are some areas which are a bit more
:01:05. > :01:05.vulnerable to Brexit, like the commercial sector,
:01:06. > :01:08.office building, overall, we're looking at strong growth over
:01:09. > :01:13.In fact, the sector is expected to grow at an annual average rate
:01:14. > :01:18.of 2.4% over the next five years, well above the UK average of 1.7%.
:01:19. > :01:22.What that means in terms of jobs is over the same period 19,000
:01:23. > :01:37.The outlook may be rather optimistic now in terms
:01:38. > :01:40.of London's construction sector but there are still risks to do with
:01:41. > :01:44.If you speak to the foreman here, he will tell you it's all about how
:01:45. > :01:47.he keeps and retains his workforce, like Marko here from Albania.
:01:48. > :01:51.On this site, two thirds of the workers come from Europe.
:01:52. > :01:54.Across the sector in London, around 40% of builders come from abroad.
:01:55. > :01:56.That's why, with Brexit and the threat of strict migration
:01:57. > :02:01.controls, this developer is investing much more in training,
:02:02. > :02:03.training local London graduates like Conor.
:02:04. > :02:06.There's a lot of uncertainties and it's all about being pro-active.
:02:07. > :02:09.I mean, you can wait and see what tomorrow brings or you can act
:02:10. > :02:13.If others follow and invest more and more in training,
:02:14. > :02:16.it'll represent a significant change to an industry that has enjoyed
:02:17. > :02:20.a constant stream of cheap, skilled labour from abroad.
:02:21. > :02:22.It will also represent a significant cost.
:02:23. > :02:24.For us, it is about investing in the future
:02:25. > :02:30.We've talked a lot and heard a lot about the skilled labour shortage
:02:31. > :02:33.and how the uncertainty of Brexit is going to affect us.
:02:34. > :02:35.For us, this is the right thing to do.
:02:36. > :02:40.We need to invest in the future of the construction industry.
:02:41. > :02:43.So for now, there is plenty of work about and as they get their heads
:02:44. > :02:46.down with the job at hand, it'll be for others to answer
:02:47. > :02:50.Which big projects will replace the current ones once
:02:51. > :02:54.How much of a skills shortfall will Brexit cause?
:02:55. > :03:00.And will more training plug the gap and by when?
:03:01. > :03:04.An investigation is under way after several people were injured
:03:05. > :03:06.as they fled a rush hour train in Dalston.
:03:07. > :03:09.Passengers were forced to jump on the tracks
:03:10. > :03:12.after smoke filled a carriage - it was caused by an overheating
:03:13. > :03:18.Here's our transport correspondent Tom Edwards.
:03:19. > :03:23.You can still hear the anxiety and panic from commuters,
:03:24. > :03:26.who just moments earlier, after seeing smoke, used
:03:27. > :03:29.an emergency lever to open the doors, fled the carriages
:03:30. > :03:35.and ran down the platform, with some going on to the nearby tracks.
:03:36. > :03:41.Right, we just need to get people moving.
:03:42. > :03:45.It all happened at just after 7am at Dalston Kingsland Overground
:03:46. > :03:53.Robert was on the train and took the footage.
:03:54. > :04:06.He witnessed the sheer confusion and the stampede.
:04:07. > :04:09.The only way to run to were the train tracks.
:04:10. > :04:11.I'm thinking, what if another train is coming?
:04:12. > :04:14.You know, we had no choice, we just had to run onto the tracks.
:04:15. > :04:16.I thought that someone is attacking us.
:04:17. > :04:18.I thought that there someone, possibly with a gun or something
:04:19. > :04:21.like that because, I mean, the whole train was running.
:04:22. > :04:26.In the rush to get from the train, a number of passengers were injured.
:04:27. > :04:31.A battery from a drill overheated and started smoking.
:04:32. > :04:33.Three off-duty police officers helped to find it.
:04:34. > :04:41.Transport for London says all the trains in the area had been
:04:42. > :04:52.People wanted to get away from the event
:04:53. > :04:57.They did so safely and we were happy that the outcome worked well for us.
:04:58. > :04:59.Four of those injured were taken to hospital.
:05:00. > :05:01.The police say this incident was not suspicious.
:05:02. > :05:03.But transport bosses will review what happened and how
:05:04. > :05:05.so many passengers ended up on potentially dangerous tracks.
:05:06. > :05:10.A housing estate in Rainham, which cost ?31 million of public
:05:11. > :05:15.money, has been beset by problems with the build and maintenance.
:05:16. > :05:18.Now residents at Orchard Village - which was only finished three years
:05:19. > :05:31.Ever since Colin Nicholas moved into his new home
:05:32. > :05:34.a year and a half ago, he's had no end of problems.
:05:35. > :05:37.It has been particularly stressful because he has two young children.
:05:38. > :05:45.In the end, she contracted a bacterial infection,
:05:46. > :05:50.which made her very ill and she was admitted to hospital.
:05:51. > :05:53.It is one of a long list of problems in his shared ownership home,
:05:54. > :06:01.This is his neighbour's property, where there is widespread mould.
:06:02. > :06:04.Across the site, there are poorly fitted pipes,
:06:05. > :06:07.unsecured doors and gates, faulty smoke alarms.
:06:08. > :06:11.All this at a site which is less than five years old.
:06:12. > :06:20.It cost ?80 million to build and out of that, more than ?30 million
:06:21. > :06:28.Colin and other residents blame Clarion Housing Group who are now
:06:29. > :06:30.responsible for the site, but only since last
:06:31. > :06:33.November when they merged with Circle Housing,
:06:34. > :06:37.But Clarion Housing blame the builders.
:06:38. > :06:41.We want to find out exactly what's wrong with the whole estate
:06:42. > :06:45.so we can go in and do the job properly and put it right.
:06:46. > :06:51.And we'll also be looking at putting the bill at Willmott Dixon as well
:06:52. > :06:54.because to be honest we think that they are
:06:55. > :06:57.These are substantial problems and it is so unfair for people
:06:58. > :07:00.to be living like this, including the elderly and children.
:07:01. > :07:02.What will you be doing to rectify those problems?
:07:03. > :07:06.I think they have had a truly awful time.
:07:07. > :07:13.So we've already done some of the repairs that
:07:14. > :07:15.are needed but actually, we want to capture them
:07:16. > :07:18.all and go back and do all the repairs that are needed.
:07:19. > :07:20.The builder, Willmott Dixon, told us tonight that they take
:07:21. > :07:22.their responsibilities very seriously and gave an absolute
:07:23. > :07:25.commitment to put things right and said they never walked away
:07:26. > :07:31.But they went on to say, before they could complete the repairs,
:07:32. > :07:35.the housing association took over responsibility for the work.
:07:36. > :07:38.Havering Council, who signed off the build, said
:07:39. > :07:41.during their numerous inspections, they did not find any issues that
:07:42. > :07:46.breached building regulations during construction.
:07:47. > :07:49.Colin says unlike other residents, he does not want to see
:07:50. > :07:53.the development torn down and rebuilt.
:07:54. > :07:55.But he does want a decent home to raise his family
:07:56. > :08:04.It's all change for Great Britain's Fed Cup tennis team
:08:05. > :08:07.as Anne Keothavong takes over from Judy Murray.
:08:08. > :08:10.On day one of the tournament, Heather Watson won in straight sets
:08:11. > :08:15.against Portuguese opponent Ines Murta in Estonia.
:08:16. > :08:17.Our sports reporter Emma Jones met the new captain before
:08:18. > :08:28.Game, set and match, Miss Keothavong.
:08:29. > :08:30.Anne Keothavong was once in the world's top 50.
:08:31. > :08:35.Now she's back as captain of Great Britain's Fed Cup team.
:08:36. > :08:37.She's taking over from Judy Murray, someone
:08:38. > :08:42.Because, let's face it, I think she's been the most
:08:43. > :08:46.successful tennis coach in this country.
:08:47. > :08:49.She's produced two world number ones in Jamie and Andy, so she knows
:08:50. > :08:53.She is so passionate about the game and that rubs off
:08:54. > :09:01.Anne is part of her own tennis dynasty.
:09:02. > :09:03.Her brother, James, recently umpired the men's final
:09:04. > :09:10.And, having recently added to the family, she says,
:09:11. > :09:13.like so many working mums, it can be tough to find a balance.
:09:14. > :09:16.When I was in Australia earlier this year, I must admit for the first
:09:17. > :09:19.week I cried every day, because I missed her so much.
:09:20. > :09:22.But I take comfort in the fact that I'm not the only woman
:09:23. > :09:25.who is working and not the only woman out there who has
:09:26. > :09:27.to occasionally spend time away from their kids.
:09:28. > :09:31.British women's tennis seems to be on the up,
:09:32. > :09:34.with Johanna Konta currently ranked tenth in the world.
:09:35. > :09:37.You always want to leave the sport in a better place
:09:38. > :09:41.I think that's the aim of every athlete, whatever
:09:42. > :09:48.The short-term goal, with Konta playing and Keothavong as captain,
:09:49. > :09:51.is to get further in the Fed Cup than the team has in decades.
:09:52. > :10:00.That's it from me. Time for me to wish you good night and I will leave
:10:01. > :10:08.you with Louise who has the weather. Good evening. Expect a winter
:10:09. > :10:12.flavour on the menu as we go through the remainder of the week. Tomorrow
:10:13. > :10:15.will be a cloudy and cold day. To the north of London we will see
:10:16. > :10:18.temperatures around minus two first thing. A scattering of showers
:10:19. > :10:22.running in off the Thames Estuary and down to the south of the Thames
:10:23. > :10:28.as we go through the day. These containing a few flakes of snow from
:10:29. > :10:32.time to time. It will be a cold afternoon too. Those showers are
:10:33. > :10:36.likely to continue overnight, again we could see a light dusting of snow
:10:37. > :10:39.perhaps across the higher ground, nothing particularly special. But
:10:40. > :10:43.with temperatures falling there could be icy stretches first thing
:10:44. > :10:47.in the morning. Again a cold start on Friday and perhaps a frost,
:10:48. > :10:53.particularly to the north of London. Friday is likely to see fewer
:10:54. > :11:00.showers but still a cold day with that brisk breeze. Let's look ahead
:11:01. > :11:01.to the weekend. It stays cold and cloudy and Ben Rich will take you
:11:02. > :11:03.through the bigger cloudy and Ben Rich will take you
:11:04. > :11:12.through the bigger picture. Good evening. Over the next few days
:11:13. > :11:18.I suspect it's going to feel like we have been plunged into the deep
:11:19. > :11:22.freeze. Cold weather on the way and not necessarily crisp cold weather,
:11:23. > :11:26.with blue skies. A lot of cloud, there was some sunshine today across
:11:27. > :11:29.parts of west Wales, for instance. That lifted temperatures up to 11.
:11:30. > :11:34.But further east as you can see from the picture, there was a lot of
:11:35. > :11:39.cloud feeding in and that pegged temperatures down into single
:11:40. > :11:43.figures, because there is increasingly cold air heading in
:11:44. > :11:47.this direction on a cold and fairly strong wind. Tonight that wind will
:11:48. > :11:51.continue to deliver wintry showers, particularly close to the east
:11:52. > :11:52.coast, a mixture of rain and sleet along the