Transport for LondonMayor's Message
Skip to navigation <<Back to ContentsIn the last year, we have made significant progress and achieved some great successes in improving transport across London.
The congestion charging scheme has continued to cut the traffic congestion that previously crippled central London. Congestion has reduced by 30 per cent in the zone and traffic emissions are down 12 per cent. There were some initial difficulties as a result of the unsatisfactory service provided by Capita, the main contractor for the scheme, but since the introduction of a tough new contract last autumn, customer service has been much improved. We will continue to seek further improvements.
The reduction in traffic congestion has also helped London's buses to provide a quicker, more reliable service for passengers.
A vastly improved bus service across the network has encouraged the biggest growth in passenger numbers since the Second World War, with up to six million passengers using the buses every day.
London Underground has now been under my control for a year. I have put in place a strong management team who are working hard to ensure we get the necessary improvements to track, trains and signals from the private infrastructure companies responsible for maintaining the Tube network. It will take time for improvements to be perceptible, but we are determined to deliver a top quality service to Londoners.
Making travel in London safer is a continuing priority. I provided £50 million to the joint TfL/ Metropolitan Police Transport Operational Command Unit (TOCU) to fund more officers to tackle bus crime and illegal minicabs. I have also funded an additional 100 British Transport Police officers to deliver Reassurance Policing on the London Underground and the DLR. We have also started the final stage of licensing the minicab trade.
Our new electronic ticketing system, the Oyster card, now has two million users and is transforming travel on the buses, Tube and trams. By pre-paying for travel, passengers can avoid queuing for tickets and enjoy cheaper travel on single adult journeys on the bus and Tube.
The Government has indicated that it intends to give TfL and myself greater influence over rail services in London, so that we can plan a truly integrated public transport network. I am keen to move forward on this so that London rail services and station environments are raised to the levels of the bus and Tube.
One of the biggest challenges has been to secure long-term investment for vital transport improvements across the capital. We are making good progress.
The Government has now agreed borrowing limits that will allow us to proceed with the East London Line extension and other schemes that will boost our Olympic bid. There will be a Bill in Parliament later this year to kick start the long-awaited eastwest rail link Crossrail. We have also received Government backing for the Thames Gateway Bridge.
But we must continue to put the case for increased funding for the transport improvements and major projects which are essential to London's prosperity.
Through London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics, we aim to showcase our capital as a world class city, with a world class transport system.
Ken Livingstone
Mayor of London
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