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Transport for London: Protest to demand more funding

BBC View out of bus window to Tower BridgeBBC
Bus services could be reduced by 20%

Westminster must plug Transport for London's funding gap, unions have warned, or the city will "grind to a halt".

A protest is planned outside Parliament on Wednesday by rail unions and politicians.

They say workers who have been on the front line throughout the pandemic deserve a long-term funding settlement.

The current emergency deal runs out on Saturday 11 December and TfL is facing a £1.9 billion budget black hole.

Getty Images Passengers board crowded TubeGetty Images
Annual running costs of TfL have reduced by more than £1bn in the last five years

There have been repeated rows over funding for TfL and the cause of its financial crisis.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan claims bus services could be cut by a fifth and Tube services by almost 10% without government money.

TfL says it had reduced annual running costs by more than £1bn in the last five years.

Despite that, Mr Khan says he still cannot balance the budget for any of the upcoming financial years to 2024/25 without further investment.

Reuters London bus and London EyeReuters

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), has warned that public transport across London will grind to a halt without a long-term financial plan.

"This is a hugely important demonstration because we know our public transport system in London desperately needs a proper long-term funding settlement from the Government.

"Yet instead, we see ministers attacking TfL services and budgets with the sole aim of undermining London and our brave transport workers who have stood on the front line throughout the Covid crisis.

"Ministers must step up to the plate before services really do start grinding to a halt."

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), called on the Government to stop its "attacks" on transport workers and for the restoration of the operating grant to TfL.

"This demonstration will be making it clear that attacks on pensions, pay freezes and threats to services and jobs is not an acceptable way to treat London's transport workers who have kept the city moving through a global pandemic," he said.

A government spokesman said: "We have repeatedly shown our commitment to supporting London's transport network through the pandemic."