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TfL watchdog: It's time for arrogant Livingstone to go
Dick Murray, Transport Editor28.04.08
London's transport watchdog today launched a devastating attack on Ken Livingstone, branding him as arrogant.
Brian Cooke supported Mr Livingstone in the past two elections but is now backing Tory candidate Boris Johnson. "It is time for a change," he told the Standard.
Mr Cooke's condemnation of the Mayor's transport policies is highly damaging to Mr Livingstone.
The TravelWatch chairman, who is a member of the board which oversees Transport for London, said: "Sometimes one wonders whether the truth and Mr Livingstone sit together at all.
"Ken has paid lip service to real consultation on a whole raft of issues and I don't believe Boris will have the arrogance of the 'Ken knows best' policy."
Mr Cooke made clear he was attacking Mr Livingstone purely on transport policy - the flagship of the Mayor's reelection campaign - and is scathing on a range of issues. He said there was "strong evidence that the current Mayor has played with both Tube and bus fares for his own political aims".
It emerged last week that the Mayor attended a Transport for London board meeting that backed inflation-busting fare rises but one week later publicly called for a freeze. Mr Livingstone yesterday denied misleading Londoners about future Tube fare rises. He told BBC1's Politics Show: "I chair the meeting [of the board], but I don't intervene at that stage."
He denied he had approved the TfL board plan. "You don't approve it. What they are doing is making a submission to the Mayor so it comes to me and then I decide." Mr Cooke described many members of the TfL board as "weak", adding: "TfL and Ken Livingstone are so joined at the hip that the board seem frightened of critiquing."
Accusing Mr Livingstone of not listening to others, Mr Cooke said: "An example was the introduction of free travel on buses for young people which many, including TravelWatch, predicted would cause major problems of anti-social behaviour and not only did but still is."
He added that the Mayor had "dragged his feet" in extending the Oyster scheme to mainline rail services in London. "He often blames the train operators but having been very close to this issue I believe much of the blame is actually at the Mayor's door."
The chairman's decision to speak out is sure to trigger a row among TravelWatch members. The watchdog's board is politically independent but includes councillors and ex-councillors from the three main parties. He emphasised that he was expressing personal views, which were "not necessarily the views of TravelWatch", and has taken leave until Thursday's poll.
Mr Cooke added: "I believe that Boris and his team would do far and away the best job in London in the vital years that will build up to the 2012 Olympics. Finally, like Boris, I believe the Mayor's term should be limited to two terms. It is time for a change."
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As a previous Deputy Chair of London TravelWatch and active long-serving member of LTW and its predecessors I am stunned and bitterly disappointed that Brian Cooke, Chair of LTW, has expressed his personal preference for Boris as mayor. As Chair of LTW he must remain independent in public and be above politics. To side with any candidate was irresponsible and I believe is in contravention of the rules of LTW. I am greatly concerned that he has irreparably damaged the integrity of LTW as an independent commentator on transport policies, strategies, etc for Greater London and will have lost the trust of TfL, train operating companies and all LTW's stakeholders by such a thoughtless action. This will affect the travelling public - LTW will be less effective without the excellent co-operation of stakeholders it has enjoyed to-date.
- Anthony Shields, Princes Risborough, UK
Ken has done more for London's transport than any other politician in the last three decades. From the introduction of the Travelcard and the division of the tube into zones to the East London Line extension, the attempt to bring in suburban rail services within TFL's remit and the purchase of Croydon's tramlink. He has laid the foundations for an integrated London transport network, unheard of in this country since the abolition of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1948.
What are Boris's plans? To undo Ken's work by re-introducing routemasters, hiking bus fares and removing the congestion charge; in other words pandering to his wealthy 4x4 car-driving supporters.
- John Buckeridge, Harrow
Nick, our Ken has been as good for London as Bliar and Brown have been for the rest of the country. Enough said.
- Albert Hall, Kettering
