Government accused of ‘strangling the life’ out of TfL
The Government has been accused of “strangling the life” out of Transport for London (TfL) despite announcing a new £200 million funding deal.
The announcement is the fourth funding settlement of the pandemic and takes Government support close to £5 billion.
The Government said the settlement, which runs until June 24, includes conditions to put TfL on track to financial sustainability by 2023 and the potential for a longer-term capital settlement “dependent on the mayor and TfL’s co-operation”.
But union leaders and opposition politicians criticised the move, made ahead of strikes next week by London Underground workers worried about their jobs, pay, pensions and working conditions.
Manuel Cortes, Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association general secretary, said: “The funding arrangement shows how the Government’s micromanagement of TfL is strangling the life out of it.
“TfL can’t make plans and is in a position of stagnation and decline under the Government’s oppressive approach.
“The Tory Government continues to fail to grasp the importance of transport to our economy and to all of our communities. The complete lack of capital funding from today’s deal will continue to hit TfL’s supply chains which sustain jobs across Britain.”
