LIVINGSTONE SHELVES KEY TRANSPORT PROJECTS - FEATHERSTONE

3.01.48pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 12th Oct 2004

Commenting on the Mayor's five year transport investment programme announced today, which saw a number of key projects shelved, Lynne Featherstone AM, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said:

"Ken Livingstone has made a lot of big promises about improving transport services in the capital. But these promises have become nothing more than pipe dreams.

"The devil is in the detail of this announcement. The Mayor has not promised any new money, has walloped commuters with huge fare rises to pay for borrowing, pledged a decade of misery for Tube users and backtracked on promises to increase suburban bus services. As always with Mr Livingstone it is a set of ideas for tomorrow rather than delivery today.

"We are also still unclear about Crossrail and Thameslink 2000. Londoners are getting impatient. Facing fare increases of up to 10 per cent, passengers want to start seeing real improvements as soon as possible on the buses, Underground, trains and the new major schemes that are vital to keep London moving."

ENDS

Notes to editor

The details of what is being built can be found at:-

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/downloads/pdf/investment/tfl-5-year-plan.pdf