Campaign Against the Mayor’s Transport Strategy
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In 2016 Sadiq Khan was elected Mayor of London on a manifesto pledging to tackle congestion through harmless-
The under-
Britain's drivers pay five times over to use the roads. Yet the Mayor feels that Londoners “pay too little”, without giving any figures to support this. He alleges that public transport fare payers subsidise motorists which is simply wrong – the reverse is the case as public transport is massively subsidised out of public taxation while motorists pay more than the costs of maintaining the roads.
It is particularly worrying that he wants to take over collection of VED (“road tax”) and set the rates which would provide another way for the Mayor to extract money from car drivers on top of congestion charging.
He seeks to discourage car ownership, using a reduction in the availability of private parking and kerb side parking spaces with discriminatory parking charges against some vehicles.
Even Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs – minicabs) come under attack with proposals to limit their numbers or increase their costs by dropping their exemption from the congestion charge.
He proposes reallocating road space away from drivers, even though the reduction in space has been a key factor in increasing congestion. He even hints at car parking at stations being made less convenient or spaces being removed.
In summary, the Mayor makes it plain that he intends to reduce car use in favour of public transport, cycling and walking by penalising motorists and making it more expensive for you to own and drive a car. The private motorist could become a vanishing species in London if the Mayor has his way, or your costs for driving will skyrocket.
These proposals give the Mayor the ability to build a financial empire and dictate the lives of Londoners much more extensively than previously. The MTS is yet another missed opportunity to develop an integrated transport strategy with an improved road network in London.
The formal consultation on the Mayor's Transport Strategy closed on the 2nd October 2017 but it is not too late to tell the Mayor what you think and influence future policy. Use this web page to send a message to the Mayor stating you object to the Mayor's Transport Strategy:
https://www.london.gov.uk/contact-
Or send a letter addressed to: Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London using this address: FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS -
MAKE SURE YOU OBJECT
Please also register your support for our campaign and for further news on the subject by clicking on this link:
More Information
Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS): https://www.london.gov.uk/what-
For the ABD’s summary analysis of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, see:
Our formal submission to the public consultation on the Mayor’s Transport Strategy is in this document: ABD-
Some of the comments received from the public on the Mayor’s Transport Strategy are present on this web page: MTS-
TfL provided a response to the public consultation at the end of February 2018 and our comments on it are here in a press release: Mayor-
A meeting for supporters was held on the 28th April 2018 -
Note that many aspects of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy are also embodied in the “London Plan” which was published in December 2017 as part of a public consultation. You can see the ABD’s response in this document: London-
If you have any questions on this issue, contact Roger Lawson -