Hillingdon Labour accuses UK Government of playing politics but urges Sadiq Khan to take outer London charge off the table

Hillingdon Labour accuses UK Government of playing politics but urges Sadiq Khan to take outer London charge off the table

Labour Councillors in Hillingdon have accused the UK Government of politicking, but has also urged Sadiq Khan to take the London charge off the table in his negotiations with the UK Government about funding for London.

Rumours that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is considering a charge to enter the boundary of London in a vehicle have resurfaced after the Government have refused to give London the financial support it needs.

Transport for London has been hit hard by the pandemic, and Hillingdon Labour have firmly stated that the Government should do all it can to ensure that TfL services can continue during the pandemic and the recovery – but that an outer London tax is not the correct way forward.

Since 2016, Sadiq Khan has succeeded in putting TfL on a stable financial footing – cleaning up the mess inherited from the previous Mayor. But the COVID-19 pandemic has hit TfL income hard, and the service is now struggling. Sadiq Khan has suggested he may have to take tough measures such as closing tube lines.

When a major city such as London is having problems with its core transport offer through no fault of its governance, the UK Government should be stepping in to provide assurance and resources.

Speaking about the issue, Leader of Hillingdon Labour Cllr Peter Curling said:

“The Conservative Government knows that withholding the support that London needs will make the Labour Mayor of London look bad to Londoners, and that’s exactly why they’re trying to push Sadiq into a corner.

“We appreciate the Mayor is in a difficult position, but an outer London charge must be taken off the table. It would be bad for families, for business, and for those who need to travel in the outer London boroughs to use services such as health and education.

“We urge the Conservatives to step up and deliver the funding, and we urge Sadiq to think again about the options that he has.”