London TravelWatch has commented on the Mayor’s Draft Transport Strategy, issued today.

Sharon Grant, Chair, London TravelWatch said: “This is a wide-ranging document, which we will be looking at into detail over the next few weeks. It contains some surprises such as introduction of road pricing, although we are given very little detail about how it will work. We are also concerned that clear commitments on rail and underground development are not matched by similar assurances on the retaining and developing of London’s bus network with and affordable fares structure. We know this is of enormous importance to London’s, especially the less well-off.

“We welcome the emphasis on cycling, and the importance of interchanges and orbital routes, and London TravelWatch has been pushing for some of the schemes mentioned for the long-term, such as the Bakerloo extension into south east London and the DLR extension to Dagenham for many years.

“We note, too, that there seems to be something of a mismatch between the London Plan and the Transport Strategy, (both issued today). The former has much more detail than the latter, and has totally new schemes unmentioned in the Transport Strategy. This seems odd and we will be examining them side-by-side in detail in the next few weeks from the travellers’ point of view, and will be discussing them at our next public board meeting: anyone is welcome to come and watch.”


London TravelWatch will be discussing this strategy in detail at our public board meeting on 10 November 2009, at London TravelWatch's offices. That meeting is open to all members of the press and public.

For media enquiries, please contact Jo deBank in the London TravelWatch press office on 020 7726 9953 or 07734 055494

The voice of London's transport users
12 October 2009