Motion seeks assurances from Government over TfL negotiations

London Assembly Chairman

Navin Shah AM has written to Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps requesting the full publication of the KPMG review of Transport for London immediately.

This follows a motion proposed by Assembly member Dr Alison Moore AM. The motion includes calls for the Secretary of State Grant Shapps to meet with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan well in advance of the March 2021 expiration of the new funding agreement.

It also calls for reinstatement of the £700 million per year Operating Grant, which was removed by previous Mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2015. The motion states that since then, London is the only major city in western Europe that has received no direct Government funding to run day-to-day transport services, meaning that it relies very heavily on fare revenue.

Income fell as much as 90% during the first lockdown, according to Moore, and remains lower because people are following Government advice and only travelling when necessary.

The motion also urges the Government not to try and impose conditions included in recent negotiations, such as extending the congestion charge to the

North and South Circular roads, removing free travel for under18s permanently, the removal of the 60+ photocard, and aboveinflation fares rise.

Moore said: “The reality is that the latest funding package is a sticking plaster on the extensive financial issues that TfL is facing due to the pandemic.

“TfL needs a long-term and sustainable funding deal from Government to protect key infrastructure projects and jobs.”