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Boris Johnson today promised to fix London's roads if he is re-elected Mayor - and build a new Thames crossing within ten years.
In his first firm pledge in the battle for City Hall, he vowed to plough millions of pounds into the city's ageing road network, saying: "This is a time for London to flourish."
The Standard can reveal that Mr Johnson will put an overhaul of the congested roads network at the centre of his battle to win a second term, saying in a speech tonight that politicians have become too afraid of being branded as pro-car.
He also vowed to deliver a new east London Thames crossing to end the misery for thousands of drivers suffering daily transport chaos because of the Blackwall Tunnel.
The Mayor wants to turn his attention to London's roads to make sure that "the carnage" seen on the Hammersmith flyover is never repeated, City Hall allies said today.
He also hopes to improve safety conditions on the roads for cyclists after a number of fatal accidents in recent months.
In a speech tonight at the London Government dinner at Mansion House, the Mayor will say: "Yes we want to encourage cleaner, greener modes of transport but many of those modes of transport mean using London's roads, and for too long they have been the unloved sibling of the mass transit system because politicians have become frightened of even talking about roads - of being fingered as pro-car.
"No politician likes being called a petrol head but you don't have to be a petrol head to see the importance of our road network. You don't have to be J Bonington Jagsworth of the Motorists Liberation Front or Jeremy Clarkson because the people who use roads are also pedestrians and they are cyclists ... and they are bus users."
The Mayor will also confirm that a major new river crossing in east London will be completed within ten years, as he prepares to take on Labour's Ken Livingstone on May 3.
He will build a new road tunnel between the Greenwich Peninsula and Silvertown in the Royal Docks, which could potentially move 2,400 vehicles an hour under the river, providing an alternative to the Blackwall Tunnel.
He will also say that a new ferry running between Beckton and Thamesmead at Gallions Reach will be delivered by 2017.
"We are going to improve London's roads to make them safer and less congested," the Mayor will say, adding: "Not just the cancerous concrete of Hammersmith but a new tunnel to alleviate the congestion at Blackwall and a new vehicle ferry crossing to replace the existing Woolwich ferry."
Reader views (37)
Mayor Boris DOES raise a 'titter-or-two'.
Notwithstanding, a Mayor should listen to sensible points brought to his attention.
Instead Boris brushes-off 'all and sundry', with flippant-dismissal.
His removal of the Arctic 'Bendy-Bus' Fleets, was an incredibly stupid throwing-away of precious Tfl funds.
Resultingly, the numbers of new double-deckers having to be bought as substitutes, are twice as numerous. Thus, more cluttering-up of London's streets because they have HALF the room for Passengers.
'Titter-Ye Not' at THAT 'Carry-On Boris'.
- Peter Grafton, W C 2, 16/01/2012 20:35
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You've got to hand it to the mayoral candidates for London, they're all good for a laugh by way of what they rattle on about.
But hay, well done for the olympics you've laid on for us all, whats going to go in the olympic village when the athletes have done with it, any ideas?
- stuart, chesterfield,derbyshire, 16/01/2012 10:47
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Melvyn
As you do not live in London your views don't count, why not go away and worry about what is going to happen on Canvey Island.
- peter, london, 12/01/2012 19:31
Actually not living in London (although born and bred in London) means that unlike the idol motorists who drive 3 streets and then complain of nowhere to park I along with millions more have to travel to London and so have a far better understanding of Londons public transport system.
Just goes to show how the truth hurts but facts are Boris has not only wasted millions on de-bendification (and now wants hundreds more buses for 4 weeks Olympics a job Artics could do with capacity to spare!!!) he has actually clogged roads with hundreds more buses many of which run empty while failing to re-integrate routes changed when Artics were introduced thus wasting more money!!!
But Hammersmith flyover has brought out his real values and his desparation to get it re-opened as its closure proves haw necessary the WEZ was to control West London congestion and the reality of how maney wasted by Hammersmith Coiuncil fighting the WEZ would have been better used in maintenance of the Hammersmith flyover.
Ah well best to demolish it as without the WEZ cars and lorries can use normal local roads instead of an eyesore that blights west London!!!
(ps While some Artics now work on Malta some may still be in store Boris should be asked why he wont use them for Olympic transport?).
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, essex, 15/01/2012 16:11
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Its pretty obvious why the roads are clogged. Just too many people driving when they don't need to.
London is the same as every other city in this respect. The surveys drivers themselves fill in all suggest the majority (between 60-75%) are able bodied, single occupants in a car that is only travelling 5 miles or less.
Boris could personally erect "sky tunnels" for all I care. Its like a drug addiction, the more its used the more its craved.
- QPR, Essex, 14/01/2012 14:23
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Multiply all the schemes by ten. Implement them. Traffic will still end up filling them, but at least we'd get some respite and the roads only need to be out of action once, rather than at repeated intervals over the same amount of time it would take (decades+) to make the improvements. Planning is supposed to be about looking ahead, not creeping along saying "so-far-so-good", thus it should be strongly left to non-politicians who can't be bribed or pander to any lobbying groups, instead running on a purely technical basis. Some things require that - and all the funding it does take, in order to genuinely progress. Conservative = keeping things the same. Remember that when whatever pathetic scheme gets implemented behind schedule to keep the effective same traffic situation as we have now (as demand will have increased in the meantime as it was slowly built). The Chinese might have it right if they build ten bridges a year...
- Ed Murphy, London, England, UK, 14/01/2012 01:38
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Londoners will see through any local politicians' promise to deliver something "within ten years" - this is blatantly a convenient point beyond the likelihood of any current candidate still being mayor.
Ken Livingstone isn't perfect by any stretch, but he achieved much more for London in each of his terms than Mr Johnson. Ken revolutionised the bus network, created London Overground and added thousands of extra police. Under Boris, fares are well up, police numbers are cut, and criminals have had a field day. Crime rates are appallingly bad - far worse than they were 4 years ago.
Boris has also been fiscally farcical; a scandal with Barclays over the bike funding, money spent on a vanity cable car because the sponsors wouldn't cover the whole cost as promised, hundreds of millions spent on bus projects with a net reduction in services and capacity. Bendy buses weren't popular, but retiring them after only a few years of service has cost London tax/fare payers dearly, as has the VanityMaster, which is just a huge UnBendy bus with the same road space and fare evasion issues!
- Paul, London, UK, 13/01/2012 09:45
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How about a compulsory personal electric bike purchase levvy on the Congestion Charge (CGC) of £800?
Would provide all those CGC users with a 'free' electric bike and generate a few manufacturing jobs too.
How better to persuade the ignorant majority who feel they MUST drive to work, than supplying them with a rapid easy ride bike.
- James Flight, London, UK., 12/01/2012 23:02
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Boris Needs to be clear where the money coming from.
- Andy, London, 12/01/2012 22:20
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Boris Johnson today promised to fix London's roads if he is re-elected Mayor
if...IF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Considering the opposition, there's more chance of a human surviving 2,197,568 jellyfish stings than Boris not being re-elected.
Boris, one favour you can do - sort the A12 out please! That's hell compared to the easily flowing A13
- Steve, Labourland, 12/01/2012 21:52
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PITY HE CANT DO SOMETHING USEFUL LIKE DEAL WITH SQUATTERS. THE LIBERAL CANDIGATE FOR MAYOR WANTS TO INTODUCE LOCAL VIGILANTES TO PROTEST US, I SHALL VOTE FOR HIM.
- Alan, England, 12/01/2012 21:50
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Londons roads are a mess , and this is not the first time we hear politicians promising to improve them when an election is pending. There are so many areas of London that have been ruined by bad planning, insufficient spending, and just plain stupidness that we now see the results in our daily commutes, whatever mode of transport we try to use.
But a choice between Boris and Ken in my opnion is not a contest, Ken has had his day and as a complete anti car nut is not fit to be mayor.
- Mr S.Port, London, 12/01/2012 21:15
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Now that Boris has realised the importance of roads - can we now have a proper look at a genuinely capable South Circular to replace the current farcically slow route? Perhaps this could be in a tunnel. Such roads would be necessary if Heathrow as to be moved to Boris island in the east.
- H Morgan, London, UK, 12/01/2012 20:50
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Melvyn
As you do not live in London your views don't count, why not go away and worry about what is going to happen on Canvey Island.
- peter, london, 12/01/2012 19:31
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Sorry but London Mayors are only elected for 4 years at a time so making promises TEN YEARS AHEAD is utter piffal and Boris knows it.
Fact is Ken would have had Thames Gateway bridge ready by around now instead Boris cancelled it (with cheers from this paper and its Gilligan supporters!!) fact is that bridge had funding and was ready to go.
So without the WEZ where is Boris going to get any money from for new bridges hhaving wasted 4 years on a Vanitymaster that is now just a Bendy bus without the bend! Given its 3 doors and open access, Boris has also removed RTMs so how will passengers woithout tickets be able to use his bus?
As for more roads well keep up the good work Boris as I am sure all your supporters welcolm having new Westway Motorways going past their bedrooms or even better having their homes demolished so traffic jams can move 50 metres along the road!!!
London is a city for people and not cars has always been and will always be so!!
Time Boris went back to his birthplace of New York and became a Republican Presidential candidate he would fit in well with the Tea Party especially if he remembers to take some English crumpets!!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, essex, 12/01/2012 18:31
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I don't mind if Boris builds more roads - look at how successful the M25 has been at dealing with traffic congestion!
BUT could he fix the public transport system first? It will carry many many more people than a few tunnels or roads. Just think what extensions to the Northern line and Bakerloo Lines would do to improve transport in the Capital - let alone getting Crossrail 2 up and running.
While Boris focuses on the roads while putting tube and bus fares up - he's not got my vote!
- Dave, Westminster, 12/01/2012 18:28
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"saying in a speech tonight that politicians have become too afraid of being branded as pro-car."
Huh? What planet is he on? British politicians have always been pro-car. It's one of the very few activities to get have gotten cheaper over recent decades, at huge public cost/subsidy: during the recession, the car manufacturers were the very first ones bailed out and get huge tax breaks, over 65% of inner London's public land is devoted to roads and parking, road capacity has constantly increased over past 30 years, at the expense of pedestrian areas etc etc.
It's a tired old technique for politicians to approach people and say "you've been disadvantaged, I will make it better". The result is nearly always that nothing happens, but by that time they already have the votes.
- Tating, London, 12/01/2012 18:27
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@adam, london, 12/01/2012 16:43
Reason for the closures is due to the northern bore being designed for coach and horse and built c.1890. That is why the new bores are needed. One of the proposals on the table was to create a twin bore at Silvertown, bore a new northern bore to accomodate road traffic, close the Victorian tunnel to road and make it a pedestrian/ cycle tunnel and rebore the southern. Total time was about 7 years, and once the main tunnel were in use, Silvertown would have been turned over to mixed light rail/ road use. Dunno what happened to the plan it was spiked by Ken's henchmen
- Bexie, Switzerland, 12/01/2012 17:47
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They're the thought of things thick people care about. Great vote winner.
- Dan, London, 12/01/2012 17:42
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It's embarrassing that London has a mayor who thinks that the answer to polluted, congested roads is to induce more people to drive.
- Matt, London, 12/01/2012 17:31
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On the topic of Hammersmith, could you hurry up and sort it?!
Traffic is awful all around the area
- James, London, 12/01/2012 17:12
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"Boris vows to fix roads and build new tunnel"
Is that all?
What about walk on water or multiply fish BoJo?
Is there an election soon?
- John Smith, London, EUSSR, 12/01/2012 17:11
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Does Boris know where East London is?
- Richard, Hoxton, 12/01/2012 17:10
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Frankio
Many of the roads with potholes & cracks are the responsibilty of local councils not Boris
Donald
Things have got better after 8 years of Red Ken who put up council tax & fares every year who ignored people if they did not want what he wanted,i,e WEZ,keeping the R,Master bus,ect.
- peter, london, 12/01/2012 16:53
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Why the obsessions with tunnels and ferries.They dont work we alreday have them. The Blackwall tunnel is always being shut because of overheight lorries and the Woolwich ferry is pathetic it has no capacity it is full when 2 lorries get on it!Boris just build the Thames Gateway Bridge...you know the one you cancelled.It would be a much better option and pay for itself with a toll. The Chinese build 10 bridges a year.
- adam, london, 12/01/2012 16:43
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This is a good idea. the original business case for silvertown showed that if the dartford crossing toll was matched, it could pay for itself and a much needed rebore of the blackwall tunnel in around 10 years. Well worth doing.
- Bexie, Switzerland, 12/01/2012 16:41
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Boring
Obnoxious
Redundant (hopefully soon)
Insufferable
Self-opinionated
- peter, Vienna, Austria, 12/01/2012 16:40
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The new tunnel is better than nothing, and will help the situation at Blackwall, though 10 years is a long time to wait when the congestion is out of control right now - it'll be so bad by then that this will probably only return us to where we are now.
It's no substitute for the Thamesmead bridge which Boris cancelled, and which is still needed in the longer term.
And it won't do much (if anything) for the terrible congestion around Tower Bridge and the Rotherhithe Tunnel. At the very least Boris could revisit the proposal of a pedestrian & cycling bridge between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf, another much-needed project he pulled the plug on.
And don't get me started on the cross-river tram...
- Peter, UK, 12/01/2012 16:30
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He can't even control parkinging in Westminster!
- Rat in a trap, London, 12/01/2012 16:20
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His record so far in this area has been disastrous, yet he's making out things are getting better. All he's done is cancel projects, yet roadwork delays have still increased, and congestion (London's primary motoring issue) will only continue to get worse due to the lack of investment so far under his watch.
- Donald, London, 12/01/2012 15:46
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I will not vote for Boris unless he curbs free child bus fares, like limiting them to two journeys five days a week for school travel.
- Vince London, West London, 12/01/2012 15:45
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Totally devoid of any solace that Boris will achieve sense in addressing London's CONGESTION. Pride of Place in his speech is awarded to a 'Red Herring' to 'scratch the backs' of Motorists. The Speech is pure Orwell's Big Brother 'new-speak' 'double-think'.
BLUE BOMBASTIC BUFFOONERY BORIS: Reversed WEZ, CANCELLED TRAMS, Rubbished fleets of Artic-Buses, replaced with half-capacity double-deckers, pursued his fixation for an allegedly 'new' route-master,(the problem of fare-evasion continues with the Three Entrances) and requires additional personnel, for the rear 'open'-platform, paid-for the cable that will swing tourists 'on a thread' to the O2 ..... all of this, just for starters, has profligatedly wasted millions and millions and missed opportunities that would have already visibly improved Londoners comfort and convenience, with Cross-River Tram as a prime 'par example'.
- Christopher Crowdy, Chelsea S W 3, 12/01/2012 15:26
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If he was mot sitting on that gigantic behind of his for the past four years maybe half of what he is now promising would have already been achieved.
The fact is he has increased transport costs so much he has destoyed peoples lifes so I will not be voting for this lump.
- dave, london, 12/01/2012 15:17
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The worst option. He cancelled the planned bridge at Thamesmead within months of winning the election last time. That would have had tolls and paid for itself, and taken buses, cyclists, cars, and the DLR long term.
Now he wants a ferry that will take years to open, have much less capacity and not usable by many forms of transport, and will cost more.
A tunnel is rubbish at N Greenwich as well. No good for buses or cyclists, and the approach road are packed as it is.
- JP, SE London, 12/01/2012 15:06
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And what has he been doing about the appalling state of London roads for the past 4 years? We have had two bad winters which has resulted in massive cracks and potholes in London's roads and nothing has been done to rectify the situation. How can we trust a man to look after London's roads when they have deteriorated into an appalling condition under his watch. This man is all PR and spin with no practical management skills.
- Frankio, London, 12/01/2012 14:44
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Of course you will Boris, until day one after succeeding at being re-elected. Your track record is no different to the other former Eton school boys in government, promising the moon before having to deliver and failing 99% of the time.
All the empty promises about doing things you and the Tories perceive to be popular with the electorate, combined with empty threats of military or police action of some kind again, against perceived wrong do'ers does advertise the fact that you useless bunch all had the some tutors at your same public schools and Oxford.
Not one original thought has left any of your mouths since entering politics, you are all frauds dependent on other public school boys to write your speeches.
Such clever expressions all gathered together by speech writers with silver spoons in their mouths, nothing else. Simply promising the masses more of the same until election day, then it's four more years of doing absolutely nothing.
You've been found wanting in every department except self publicity Boris, where you succeed in boring us all to death 100%.
- Concerned Observer, HARROW, 12/01/2012 14:35
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Pah, don't believe a word Boris says, it's my understanding that almighty Lord Livingstone when elected will reveal himself to be creator of the universe and as such will give all Londoners the ability to teleport at will, thus negating the need for any transport infrastructure whatsoever, he will probably also give everyone free ice creams and ferrari's made from solid gold allegedly. Boris is rubbish in comparison.
- Mr Windebag, Cloud Cuckoo Land, 12/01/2012 14:25
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Folks, Boris is like a record with a scratch on it everytime the needle reaches the right place,it jumps so we hear the same words over and over again,just like Boris,all talk and not much action.
- Hamilton Straker, Ealing West London, 12/01/2012 14:08
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