"Soft words are not enough" - Caroline Pidgeon

2.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jul 2008

Liberal Democrat Assembly Member and vice-chair of the Assembly's Transport Committee Caroline Pidgeon today accused London Mayor Boris Johnson of not doing enough to secure the future of vital transport upgrades in south London.

At the Mayor's Question Time session in City Hall this morning, Caroline Pidgeon asked what guarantees the Mayor had got from the Secretary of State for Transport Ruth Kelly MP, who he met last week, about the funding for the Cross River Tram project and the East London Line extension as well as other transport projects in London

In his response Boris Johnson wasn't able to confirm if the government had guaranteed the funding for any of the planned projects.

"Soft words are not enough" Caroline Pidgeon said after the MQT session. "It is quite clear that during his meeting with Ruth Kelly, Boris wasn't able to get any guarantees the people in south London need on the security of funding for the Cross River Tram, the East London Line extension and the Croydon Tramlink extension to Crystal Palace. The Mayor must do more to secure these much needed funds so these vital transport projects proceed."

ENDS