16 April 2004
London Mayor Ken Livingstone will not hesitate to withhold more transport cash from the capital's boroughs if they fail to pursue policies in line with his objectives.
That is the stark message from Livingstone's office following the row over £1.5m in transport funding withheld from the London Borough of Barnet.
The mayor this week described the north London council as the 'loony Right' and accused the authority of endangering the lives of residents through its current traffic policy.
Livingstone announced on April 13 that Transport for London, the mayor's executive agency, provided Barnet with just £4.1m of its proposed £5.6m budget for additional transport funding during 2003/04, because its traffic calming measures were 'half baked'. Barnet's application for an additional £5.2m for 2004/05, provisionally agreed by TfL last month, is also under review while the 2003/04 cash is withheld.
The mayor claims the borough has ripped up road humps, withdrawn cycle lanes and introduced parking on pavements in direct defiance of his transport safety policy – which has the force of law in the capital.
In return, the Conservative council accuses Livingstone of 'political grandstanding' in advance of the local government elections this summer.
But sources at the mayor's office this week told Public Finance there was no political agenda. They claim the mayor – now firmly back in the Labour Party fold – would withhold cash from political allies if their transport practices conflicted with TfL's.
'This is about the roll-out and maintenance of sensible safety measures in line with the mayor's transport strategy, which councils must adhere to through the production of individual Local Implementation Plans,' a spokeswoman added.
Brian Coleman, Barnet's Cabinet member for the environment, said: 'It is, we believe, premature to threaten the council with cuts in funding until information [requested by the mayor] is provided and analysed.'
PFapr2004
