tim... wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message
...
Robin wrote:
On 19/10/2020 10:04, wrote:
On Mon, 19 Oct 2020 09:22:21 +0100
Robin wrote:
On 19/10/2020 08:37, wrote:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2020 10:23:28 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 23:01:02 on Fri,
16
Oct 2020, Ian Jackson remarked:
People who live in the "Circular" area, are people in normal
employment with lives that mean that they have to have a car.
and an annual tax of 5,475 pounds to own one, is bloody ridiculous
If the local councillors suggested this they would be out on their
ears at the next election
It's only because Boris is a Tory, and most of the affected LAs
are
Labour/LibDem run that he has a hope of getting away with this
politically
but it's still a bag of nonsense socially.
It's nothing to do with congestion, but simply a potential way to
raise a poll-tax the pay for TfL's huge deficit.
After the N/S Circular, how long before the M25?
Some of the media is speculating already.
If Khan had a working pair of ******** he'd have called Boris' bluff
over
this and said "Fine, the tube and bus will stop on [date] and londons
economy will come to a halt along with the substantial part of GDP it
generates. Enjoy.". But of course he hasn't and didn't.
One problem with that may be that the idea came from the Mayor's side:
Why was he pushing back against it then? From what I read in The Times
the
other day it was Number 10 and the DtT pushing on moving the LEZ
outwards as
a condition for the extra money.
The only sources I saw cited were the Mayor and his colleagues.
Please show it. Every source I can find says the exact opposite.
really, I can't find that
all I can find is Khan claiming that the DfT have told him to do this
Indeed. And now apparently the government is threatening to seize control
of TfL if Khan resists their demands:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/sadiq-khan-condemns-government-tfl-funding-plan-a4572368.html
Sadiq Khan has accused the Government of trying to “punish” Londoners with
a “triple whammy” of price hikes as part of a financial support plan for
TfL.
The capital’s mayor called for the “draconian” proposals, which include a
larger congestion charge zone and higher Tube and bus fares, to be
reconsidered.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps proposed the measures, for which in return
TfL would receive six months of rescue funding lasting from now until Match
next year. He also suggested that the Government would seize control of TfL
if the measures were not followed.
But Mr Khan refused to accept the proposal outlined in a letter from Mr
Shapps, telling ministers that it was “completely unacceptable,” and
“singles out Londoners for punishment.”
He: "I simply cannot accept this Government plan, which would hit Londoners
with a triple whammy of higher costs at a time when so many people are
already facing hardship.
"The Government should be supporting Londoners through this difficult time
– not making ill-advised and draconian proposals which will choke off our
economic recovery.”
Ministers want to extend the £15 Congestion Charge Zone to the North and
South circular roads in 12 months' time. This would see the zone expanded
to cover approximately four million more Londoners.
The Government also wants to increase TfL fares and is “doubling down” on
their demand to remove free travel for under-18s, City Hall said.
He wrote to Mr Khan saying that the Government would take "reserve
legislative powers allowing us if necessary to direct TfL" if the measures
were not followed.
Mr Shapps, in a letter seen by the Financial Times, said that Downing
Street's seizure of TfL would be combined with a further series of
"short-term funding settlements.”
The London Mayor said an expansion of the congestion zone would have
negative economic consequences and a council tax supplement would “place
even more reliance on an already broken form of taxation and would be
regressive”.
It comes after the Government agreed on Friday to extend its financial
support of TfL for two weeks while negotiations on a new bailout continue.
TfL boss Andy Byford described the two-week extension as a “sensible
pragmatic solution” that “keeps people’s minds focused”.
He added: “We can now get this deal done. We really are very close, and
it’s absolute top priority for all of us to get this thing across the line,
and I believe that the two weeks will suffice.”
TfL’s finances have been severely hit by the drop in travel caused by the
coronavirus pandemic. A £1.6 billion bailout agreed with Mr Khan in May put
funding in place until Saturday.
It was reported last month that Mr Khan was seeking a £5.7 billion bailout
to keep London’s transport system going for the next 18 months.
… continues with predictable union leader comments