• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

That is very impressive in terms of the lists of arrests and the action that has been taken. Is there yet any data on the improved security and feelings of security of both bus passengers and bus staff as a result of the work of the TOCU?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

Can I carry on the point that Toby has raised with police presence on the Underground? What consideration is being given to recruitment and employment of police Community Support Officers (CSO), given that we know that they have been well-received and that it seems to us, certainly in the Labour group, that this sort of policing resource that would go down very well, especially on routes within our Inner London community. Why I say that is if you look at the recruitment from within the Inner London boroughs in terms of ethnicity and gender to this new role of police...

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

Could I ask you about the progress made in increasing uniformed police presence on the Underground?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

Can you also tell us whether there should be a target or some form of measure as to how quickly the TOCU responds to an incident in a bus lane or on a London bus?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

Thank you, Chair. Well, I am grateful, Mr Mayor, that provided the table of the TOCU results for us because although without a doubt it has been a good initiative, the table demonstrates that yet again, like so many of your initiatives, it has been a central zone initiative. Certainly I am concerned that although residents in my part of London pay the same in Council Tax and fares towards this scheme, they are not getting the benefit that Inner London gets. Here we have, for example, Havering, where only 1% of the total arrests have been made. Another 1%...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

I share your view about the train operating companies, as you know, and it is ironically really that the one train operating company that actually does have a special constable scheme for its staff is Connex, which is about to lose its franchise. Do you realise that if you are successful in increasingly the BTP numbers of London Underground to 600 by next year, as you said a little earlier, that will then be double the number of transport police that cover the overground rail network from the Thames to the south coast as far west as Weymouth? Whilst that...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

In your press release last week about the TOCU funding you said and I quote I am determined to tackle crime and the fear of crime on public transport. You will be aware that millions of Londoners travel on overground rail how do you propose to tackle crime and the fear of crime on overground rail?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

As I am sure you are aware, it is a very difficult nut to crack and Neil Gerrard, MP, one of my parliamentary colleagues has been working on it for some time and it is not as straightforward as that answer suggests. Have you considered in your fare packages now and for the future looking at a cut price evening travelcard, which would mean that there would be less re-sale market, which would seriously help, I believe, to reduce the problem?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

As part of your commitment to improving safety in stations, what plans have you to tackle ticket touting, which is a particular problem in some of the stations in my constituency, including Walthamstow Central, Highbury and Islington, and Leightonstone?

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 17 September 2003

Yes, absolutely. As you know, the Assembly are doing an investigation into protecting the environment but there is the perception of crime and the dumping around Tramlink stations and that does not really, as Toby highlighted, make you feel confident of travelling on the tram. We are going actually officially to Croydon today to have another look at it but we have had complaints and the perception of travelling on Tramlink. It is bit like zero tolerance on the capital standards extension to TfL. People do feel uncomfortable travelling on Tramlink and there is only, as far as I know...