Mayor slammed for 'wall of silence'

12.00.00pm GMT Wed 26th Mar 2003

Lynne Featherstone is the GLA Lib Dem's transport spokesperson

In ill-tempered exchanges at City Hall, Mayor Ken Livingstone refused to answer a raft of questions from London Assembly Lib Dem transport spokesperson Lynne Featherstone.

Ms Featherstone's questions during Mayor's Question Time covered disabled parking in central London, Park and Ride at outer London rail stations, the West London tram scheme and the opening date for the DLR extension to London Airport.

"We have met a wall of silence in trying to get at basic facts which matter to Londoners. All the Lib Dem questions were about transport links that will make a real difference to their lives."

"They Mayor said there was too much detail. But we put these questions in writing to Transport for London back on 13 March 2003. On several of them we still have no answers. Other answers prove he has not kept his promises."

"Assembly members are elected to hold the Mayor to account. If Transport for London won't answer, and Ken won't answer: how are Londoners to get at the truth?"

"ENDS"

"Note to Editors:"

"1. Lynne Featherstone's office put the following questions to Transport for London's public affairs department on Wednesday 12 March [nine working days before Mayor's Question Time today]. The questions Lynne Featherstone tried to ask Mayor Livingstone this morning are printed in bold."

"Accessibility/Disablity"

"1. Has TfL with the Boroughs prepared a programme of action based on an assessment of all DLR stations and their surroundings with a view to making the streets and supporting services around DLR stations accessible?"

"2. Has a similar programme of action been prepared with regard to accessibility around Tramlink stops?"

"3. Has a programme been agreed by TfL, the SRA, Network Rail, the TOCs and the Boroughs to improve accessibility at National Rail stations, including establishing a core network of accessible stations?"

"4. Has a review been completed of central London's disabled parking schemes?"

"Rail Services"

"1. Has a programme of investment been published within a Rail Plan for London to cover investment requirements in the existing network and network enhancement?"

"2. Has a phased programme to implement the London Metro concept, including OrbiRail, been published by TfL?"

"3. Has TfL developed a framework within which proposals for park-and-ride in London (especially in outer London) can be considered? (bringing in national rail and tube stations)"

"Light Rail/Tram"

"1. We note that the 'sod was cut' for the DLR extension to City airport the other day. What is TfL's target date for the extension to open and be operational?"

"2. We know work is already afoot to prepare the West London Transit scheme. What would be the target date for starting the construction of this scheme (or indeed the Cross River transit scheme)?"

"Walking/Street environment"

"1. Where can we find the "Walking Plan for London"?"

"2. Has TfL (with the Boroughs) produced a plan for a programme of environmental improvement schemes for London's town centres?"

"Progress on forthcoming schemes"

"Could you let us know how work is going on the following:"

"1. What proportion of central London double-deck buses will have conductors by December 2004?"

"2. Will the current phase of the London Bus Priority Network be completed by April 2004?"

"3. How many locations currently provide Countdown facilities at bus stops, what steps have been taken to improve its reliability, and how many locations will it be extended to by 2005?"

"4. How many buses have been retrofitted with particulate traps during the financial year 2002/03? How many buses will be so fitted by 2004?"

"5. How are we progressing on completing priority higher demand cycle routes? Will these all be completed by December 2004?"

"2. Some of these questions have been answered by Transport for London – on disabled parking the answer showed that no review of disabled parking had been completed, despite a commitment in the Mayor's Transport Strategy to do so in 2002. Lynne Featherstone sought to challenge the Mayor on his failure to deliver: she has commented that "disabled parking in central London is in fact an incoherent mess where disabled people never know from one street to the next what the rules are going to be".