Mayor accused of axeing 'key' Thames Gateway public transport scheme » Communities » 24dash.com

Labour members on the London Assembly have accused Boris Johnson of 'ripping the lifeline' from an outer London borough by axeing a key public transport scheme.

After months of planning and consultation, at a cost of £5 million, funding for the vital Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to Dagenham Dock has been pulled by the Mayor.

Transport for London have not included the funding for the scheme in their business plan so the public inquiry planned for next month has been postponed.  The scheme was backed by previous Mayor Ken Livingstone because of its importance to the regeneration of the Thames Gateway.

Labour's transport spokesperson, Val Shawcross said: "Sadly it's no surprise to us that the Mayor is deprioritising those transport schemes that would regenerate poorer areas of London.

"There's uncertainties on the Cross River Tram, delays on the Greenwich Waterfront Project, and the Thames Gateway Bridge is under threat. Now we have a funding black hole for yet another vital transport scheme ."

Funding plans for the scheme had included PFI (similar to the successful DLR extension to London City Airport and the nearly completed Woolwich Arsenal extension), but TfL have now ruled out this funding option.

Local Assembly member John Biggs: "Pulling local schemes like this effectively rips lifelines from outer boroughs who, before the GLA existed, felt excluded from the capital's transport infrastructure.

"It's devastating to realise that residents in the outer boroughs are already being treated as outcasts in Boris's vision for London.

"Boris and TfL are looking to blame central government for the funding gap, but the fact is they hadn't even bothered to apply to government for this money."