London TravelWatch has issued its response to the Draft Mayor’s Transport Strategy consultation, which closes today.

Sharon Grant, Chair, London TravelWatch, said: “While we support many of the aims of the MTS and many of the schemes suggested, we are concerned about how the big schemes will be funded, especially at a time when we know (from the TfL business plan) that bus services are being reduced.

“Buses are vital to London: they are accessible, cheaper than other forms of transport, and carry a huge number of passengers. We are afraid that buses will become a "Cinderella" service in the future, while the big bucks are spent on huge rail schemes. ”

London TravelWatch believes that for the many of the aims of the strategy to be realised, considerable levels of investment would be needed, and it is not at all clear that the investment requirements of this MTS could ever be realised in the medium- and long-term.

Sharon Grant continued: “We are concerned that there is too much in this strategy which is aspirational at a time when decision-makers across the industry need real clarity of direction about future priorities for transport in London. If these difficult decisions are avoided or delayed, it is Londoners and London’s travelling public who will suffer.”

For more information, please contact the London TravelWatch press office on 020 7726 9953 or 07734 055494.

The voice of London's transport users
12 January 2010