In response to the announcement of a second emergency funding deal for Transport for London (TfL), local London Assembly Member, Andrew Dismore AM, said:
“By successfully putting pressure on the Government to drop the worst of their planned conditions, City Hall has secured a victory for London. With talks going right up to the wire, I am glad the Government finally saw sense in the face of intense opposition from the Mayor, Assembly Members, Londoners and business leaders, and dropped their proposals to extend the congestion charge.
“We have also seen Ministers row back on taking away free travel concessions for children and older people. This is a huge success for all those who have so tenaciously campaigned against this, but we must send a clear message that this punitive condition should not put back on the table in future negotiations.
“In reality, the emergency package provided by Government today still falls far short of the long-term sustainable funding that TfL have asked for.
“It is unacceptable that Ministers have placed the onus upon Londoners to make up the remaining shortfall in TfL’s finances brought on by the pandemic. As we face a second lockdown, the future of key transport infrastructure projects, vital to our economic recovery, has also been thrown into further uncertainty”.
Notes to editors
- Andrew Dismore AM is the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden.