ONE YEAR ON AND 'LAME DUCK LIVINGSTONE' LUMBERS ON

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 9th Jun 2005

Ahead of Ken Livingstone's annual report, and the first anniversary of his re-election, Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly have labelled the Mayor as 'Lame Duck Livingstone' following his failure to implement any new policies that benefit Londoners over the last 12 months.

In particular, the Liberal Democrats will highlight that:-

- Bus, Tube, DLR and tram fares have all risen well above inflation despite the promises made Ken Livingstone before his re-election that fares would not be increased.

- A 60% price increase in the Congestion Charge, something the Mayor failed to mention it before his re-election

- Recorded violent crime has increased by 10% in the last year

- Homeless households in the capital have increased by a further 6% in the last year

- Congestion will increase by 8% on London's roads by 2010

- There has been slow progress on Low Emission Zones with London already in breach of EU emissions limits and set to miss Kyoto targets for cutting greenhouse gases

- Recycling rates in London are now the lowest anywhere in the country

Leader of the Liberal Democrats at the London Assembly, Graham Tope, said:-

"It is becoming increasingly clear that in his second term the Mayor is now seen as "Lame Duck" Livingstone. The only achievements he has been able to point to in the last 12 months are those which have isolated and angered many Londoners who are now fed up with his broken promises.

"Ken Livingstone has run out of ideas, and appears to be increasingly reliant on the Olympic 2012 bid being successful for him to justify his second term as Mayor.

"It will be a long three years for Londoners as Ken Livingstone resorts to more and more desperate tactics in the coming months to justify his term in office as Mayor and hide the inadequacies in developing new positive policies for the capital."

ENDS

Notes to editor

- The London Mayor & Assembly elections were held on the 10th June 2004.

Details of the Mayor's inability to tackle key issues affecting London can be found below:-

- Increase in Tube and bus fares - On 2nd January 2005, bus fares rose by 20% and Tube fares also rose above inflation. On four separate occasions before the Mayoral elections in 2004, Ken Livingstone pledged to Londoners that Tube and bus fares would be limited to inflation rises only.

- Increase on Congestion Charge - On 25th February 2003, Ken Livingstone pledged there would be no increases in the Congestion Charge saying "It's now quite clear that £5 was enough." Two years later, he U-turned and increased the Congestion Charge to £8

- Increases in recorded violent crime - Recorded Violent crime has gone up by 9.7% in the last year in London - http://www.met.police.uk/crimefigures/

- Increases in homelessness - Latest homeless household figures show:-

Borough Dec '00 Dec '04 2000 - 2004 % change

Total 48,867 66,977 37.1%

· Increases in congestion in London - Table 9 on pages 35-36 of the TfL Business Plan 2005/06 - 2009/10 sets out the targets and the expected achievements of London and shows that:-

Description of target or indicator Change National Target Projection for London Pass/fail

Traffic congestion Change between 2000 and 2010 Awaiting shared delivery targets agreement 8% more congestion Fail

· Failing Greenhouse gas emissions targets - Table 9 on pages 35-36 of the TfL Business Plan 2005/06 - 2009/10 sets out the targets and the expected achievements of London and shows that:-

Description of target or indicator Change National Target Projection for London Pass/fail

Greenhouse gases Change between 2000 and 2010 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% from 1990 levels, and move towards a 20% reduction in CO2 by 2010 Unlikely to meet target Fail

· Recycling rates - London now at the bottom of the recycling league in England and has the lowest improvement rate:-

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wastats/bulletin/mwb-intbull-20032004.xls

Management of municipal waste 2001/02 to 2003/04

Recycling/Composting Figures

Region 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 % increase since 2000/01

South West 19% 22% 25% 6%

East Midlands 18% 20% 24% 6%

South East 19% 21% 24% 5%

East Midlands 15% 16% 20% 5%

North West 11% 13% 18% 7%

West Midlands 11% 14% 17% 6%

North East 7% 10% 16% 9%

Yorkshire / Humberside 11% 13% 16% 5%

London 8% 9% 11% 3%

England 14% 16% 19% 5%

Source: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Source publication: Municipal Waste Management Survey, Published March 2005

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wastats/index.htm