0:00:00 > 0:00:00So it's goodbye from me.
0:00:00 > 0:00:00And on BBC One, we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Welcome to BBC London News.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20I'm Alpa Patel.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Hammersmith and Fulham council have denied
0:00:22 > 0:00:24it was warned decades ago that two of its tower
0:00:24 > 0:00:25blocks were unsafe.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27The concerns were raised by the borough's former chief
0:00:27 > 0:00:29structural engineer.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32He says he made the claims back in the '80s
0:00:32 > 0:00:33but they weren't acted upon.
0:00:33 > 0:00:39Gareth Furby has been speaking to him.
0:00:39 > 0:00:49David Adler was chair of a structural engineers group
0:00:50 > 0:00:51for the London Boroughs in the 1980s.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Everybody thought they were absolutely safe.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54He worked for Hammersmith Council.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Here he is meeting residents and back then there were concerns
0:00:57 > 0:00:58about the safety of tower blocks.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03We found these problems which we never expected.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06"Great danger from collapse of wall or part of these buildings."
0:01:06 > 0:01:11He's reading from a memo he wrote back in 1984 which warns clearly
0:01:11 > 0:01:14about a remote chance of collapse and that smoke could spread
0:01:14 > 0:01:16from flat to flat if there's a fire.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19We were concerned, yes.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21So what difference did this memo make?
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Well, for the first time in 30 years, David Adler has returned
0:01:25 > 0:01:33to inspect the two tower blocks in Fulham he warned about.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36He quickly spotted some evidence of strengthening to the structure.
0:01:36 > 0:01:42But all is not right with these buildings.
0:01:42 > 0:01:52Since November, fire wardens have been patrolling 24 hours a day
0:01:53 > 0:01:56because there are gaps between wall and flooring which could allow
0:01:56 > 0:01:59fire and smoke to spread if a fire breaks out.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00To confirm these false, engineers have dug away some
0:02:00 > 0:02:01concrete in an empty flat.
0:02:01 > 0:02:08And David Adler was able to take a look.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11And the gaps and cracking that's now been exposed seems to be just
0:02:11 > 0:02:13the same issue that he warned about 33 years ago.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16If the walls are not tied into the floors,
0:02:16 > 0:02:21then there's gaps which enable smoke to get through.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Unfortunately.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27What do you think about that happening now despite your warnings?
0:02:27 > 0:02:29It's bad.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30What is your advice?
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Was your memo heeded?
0:02:31 > 0:02:41I can't recall any action was taken as a result of the memo I sent.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Meeting Mr Adler on this estate, another expert said not much of his
0:02:49 > 0:02:51advice was listened to either.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Sam Webb was an architect who investigated this,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56the collapse of a tower block after a gas explosion in Newham.
0:02:56 > 0:02:57This is the external flank wall.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The floor slab.
0:03:00 > 0:03:07The point is that these problems were known about 30 odd years ago.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10We put the men's claims to Hammersmith and Fulham Council
0:03:10 > 0:03:13which issued a statement saying...
0:03:21 > 0:03:25The council says the safety of residents is its top priority
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and it is working with structural engineers, safety experts
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and the fire brigade to ensure that.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Gareth Furby, BBC London News.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Campaigners are celebrating today after Southwark Council voted not
0:03:38 > 0:03:42to accept controversial plans to demolish the famous Elephant
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and Castle Shopping Centre.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48The developers Delancey want to build more than 1,000
0:03:48 > 0:03:50new homes and a new university campus on the site.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54But the Council decided not enough social rented housing was allocated.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59Campaigners say, despite last night's victory there's more to do.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04I don't want to celebrate just now because words from one
0:04:04 > 0:04:10of the councillors from now until the 30th, stuff can change,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13and it's the biggest scheme in the history of Southwark.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16There is a lot at stake and I wouldn't want to
0:04:16 > 0:04:18celebrate just now.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Arthur Collins, the man jailed for an acid attack
0:04:20 > 0:04:23at a nighclub in East London, has been given another
0:04:23 > 0:04:27eight months in prison for using a smuggled mobile phone.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Collins used the device to call his ex-girlfriend,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34reality TV star, Ferne McCann, from his prison cell.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37She had their baby in December.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Collins is serving a 20-year sentence for throwing acid
0:04:39 > 0:04:44across a crowded dance floor injuring 22 people.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48London is the most expensive city in Europe to rent a flat
0:04:48 > 0:04:50according to new research.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Tenants pay nearly four times more to rent in the capital
0:04:54 > 0:04:56than in any other major UK city.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59The research found that the average rent for an unfurnished
0:04:59 > 0:05:07three-bedroom flat in a prime location is over £5,500.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11The introduction of what is believe to be the UK's
0:05:11 > 0:05:12first ever buffer zone to stop protestors from gathering outside
0:05:12 > 0:05:16an abortion clinic came a step closer last night.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Campaigners have welcomed a vote by Ealing council.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22They propose to start a public consultation into the plans to stop
0:05:22 > 0:05:32such demonstrations outside a Marie Stopes clinic
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Londoners are being asked what they think expansion
0:05:37 > 0:05:38at Heathrow airport should look like.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40The airport has launched a public consultation
0:05:40 > 0:05:42asking locals about the initial proposals for a third runway.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44It includes options for a shorter runway
0:05:44 > 0:05:50and putting the M25 in a tunnel.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55Now it's being called a landmark deal which could make a difference
0:05:55 > 0:05:58to the salaries of tens of thousands of bus drivers in London.
0:05:58 > 0:06:08Our transport correspondent Tom Edward explains.
0:06:42 > 0:06:49There are over 6 million bus journeys a day in London, more than
0:06:49 > 0:06:53the Tube and the trains. The capital's 's have been fighting for
0:06:53 > 0:06:57better conditions for you is. They have already seen a minimum wage of
0:06:57 > 0:07:02£23,000, now this.This is the greatest capital city in the world
0:07:02 > 0:07:09and one of the iconic images is the red bus and what we have got here is
0:07:09 > 0:07:12the Mayor of London saying he will treat people with respect and we are
0:07:12 > 0:07:17going to get a quality service, at a good price, and everybody will
0:07:17 > 0:07:21benefit, so it is a win-win situation.CFL says the new scheme
0:07:21 > 0:07:27will not cost any more and bus companies will save on training. For
0:07:27 > 0:07:32these bus drivers, it is welcomed. We have been working on the buses
0:07:32 > 0:07:35for 17 months, 17 years, and it is important you carry your spirits
0:07:35 > 0:07:41with you when you transfer to another garage. It is the best
0:07:41 > 0:07:45garage, but it is important you do not start at the bottom.I think it
0:07:45 > 0:07:49is important, I do believe it is challenging out there. So having
0:07:49 > 0:07:55that same equal level for drivers is going to be very important and very
0:07:55 > 0:07:58appealing.Not all bus driver concerns have been addressed, but
0:07:58 > 0:08:03for these can -- key transport workers today, some good news that
0:08:03 > 0:08:07could now be copied elsewhere.It was
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Now the weather with Lucy Martin.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17hello, good afternoon. A cold and bright day-to-day. This photo was
0:08:17 > 0:08:22taken earlier in Haringey. This afternoon, plenty of wintry
0:08:22 > 0:08:26sunshine, staying dry, fairly breezy and it does mean it won't feel
0:08:26 > 0:08:30particularly warm. Temperatures around eight Celsius. Once you add
0:08:30 > 0:08:33in the breeze, it will feel a bit colder and as we go through this
0:08:33 > 0:08:37evening and overnight, the wind is picking up further. The Met office
0:08:37 > 0:08:43of sugar yellow weather warning for wind. 50-60 mph wind. Largely dried
0:08:43 > 0:08:47receiving before heavy rain moving in from the West for a time. The
0:08:47 > 0:08:53winter picking up as well into the early hours but not quite as cold as
0:08:53 > 0:08:57it was last night was overnight lows of a 4-5. It will be a windy start
0:08:57 > 0:08:59to the day tomorrow as we move through rush hour, but the wind will
0:08:59 > 0:09:03tend to ease as we move through the day, a day of sunny spells and
0:09:03 > 0:09:07showers. The showers fleeting as they pass through on a breezy
0:09:07 > 0:09:12westerly wind. Temperatures tomorrow, nine Celsius. As we move
0:09:12 > 0:09:15into Friday, another day of sunny spells and showers. Saturday
0:09:15 > 0:09:19currently looking like the better of the two days this weekend with some
0:09:19 > 0:09:23sunny spells but not feeling particular you warm, before rain
0:09:23 > 0:09:23moves in again on Sunday.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25That's about it from me.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28But for now, from us all, a very good afternoon.