‘Kick in the teeth’: Maida Vale-based London Assembly member criticises government’s TfL bailout
Murad Qureshi, from Maida Vale, has called the TfL bailout "punitive". Picture: Dieter Perry - Credit: Archant
The government’s bailout of TfL will “hit the capital’s poorest the hardest”, says London Assembly member Murad Qureshi.
The Maida Vale-based politician’s comments follow Whitehall agreeing a £1.6 billion deal last week with TfL which is facing a 90 per cent fall in income from Covid-19 lockdown.
The Londonwide Labour representative said fare rises and changes to the Freedom Pass were a “gratuitous kick in the teeth” as part of a “punitive and “damaging” deal.
Mr Qureshi said: “This will hit some of the poorest in our capital the hardest.
“It is also nonsensical that Londoners have been effectively singled out and punished in this way, after doing the right thing and staying at home and away from public transport to contain the virus.
You may also want to watch:
“The Government needs to own up to the fact that where they could have helped TfL back on track to recovery, they have inflicted unnecessary pain and uncertainty.
“They must go back to the drawing board and reconsider this decision”.
Most Read
- 1 Camden's Levertons to arrange the funeral of Prince Philip on April 17
- 2 Royal Free ITU nurse who swapped the Caribbean for a Covid ward
- 3 Lockdown easing April 12 live updates: North London shops and pubs reopen
- 4 Primrose Hill to close at night this weekend after antisocial behaviour
- 5 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: Wait for second verdict could last 'until Easter'
- 6 'It's a godsend': Hampstead pubs and shops back serving the community
- 7 Hampstead, Highgate and Primrose Hill beer gardens reopening on April 12
- 8 Hampstead to trial unobtrusive electric vehicle charging points
- 9 The questions council 'must answer' after spending £23m on £10m office
- 10 How a 'terrifying' Hampstead spree of robberies was brought to an end
Under the terms of the bailout, congestion charge will rise by 30%, free travel for children will be temporarily halted and over-60s will have to pay to travel during peak times. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the bailout “wasn’t the deal he wanted”.
