BORIS JOHNSON has today unveiled plans for a huge investment in London’s Tube and cycle lane systems based on finding savings in other parts of Transport for London’s budget of £7.6 billion, a figure union leader Bob Crow said “defies belief”.
Popular on LondonNet
“The staggering £7.6 billion in savings and efficiencies TfL is making means that every penny will be spent on delivering and upgrading services for the capital, providing even better value for money to fare and taxpayers,” said Johnson.
“We have secured the greatest investment in London’s transport network in 80 years, which will deliver Crossrail, the Tube upgrades, the completion of the London Overground network and the continuation of the cycling revolution.”
But RMT union chief Crow was quick to point out that the £7.6 billion figure marks a big increase from the £5 billion originally earmarked by the London Mayor for cuts.
“It defies belief that Boris Johnson and his officials are jacking up their cuts target from £5 billion to £7.6 billion,” said Crow.
“These new cuts will drag the Underground even deeper into the spiral of decline, with breakdowns, failures and disruption a daily fact of life. We can expect a threat to hundreds more jobs while maintenance takes another hit, turning the Underground into a death trap and a criminals’ paradise.”
