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Boris Johnson breaks his pledge to run Tube trains later at weekends
Martin Robinson13 Apr 2010
Boris Johnson's pledge to run Tube trains an hour later on Friday and Saturday nights has been shelved.
Londoners were promised that services would be extended to around 1.30am at weekends but the Mayor has now admitted that they will have
to wait.
Union dissatisfaction and ongoing problems and delays with upgrading the Jubilee and Northern lines is stopping it, he says.
Mr Johnson had promised the later Tube travel before he was elected in 2008, saying it would make life easier and safer at weekends. “We are going through a laborious process of upgrading the Tube and it isn't possible to do it at the moment,” he said.
“It is very difficult to deliver it now when we are in the middle of incredibly important upgrades of the Tube. I think that that most people would want to see the improvements in capacity delivered first. The previous mayor [Ken Livingstone] got into this particular mayor's nest, made that promise and found that it invoked all sorts of union difficulties and they got very stroppy.
“But as long as we have two huge upheavals and difficulties we have with the union then it is difficult for me to promise that I can deliver this.”
Last month a member of the London Assembly attacked Mr Johnson's U-turn on the extended Tube times. Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green assembly members also highlighted further “broken promises” the Mayor had made.
They said Mr Johnson promised to protect ticket offices, but then announced plans to remove 450 ticket office posts and reduce opening hours this year.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, added: “Extending Tube opening hours across the whole underground on Friday and Saturday nights was one of the most high-profile promises that Boris Johnson made to Londoners to secure his election. Yet so far he has not added a minute to the opening hours of even one line.
“Of course the Mayor claims he is still willing to consider extended opening hours after upgrade work has been completed on a line.
“I can't think of a better place to start than the Jubilee Line where work should be completed this year after months of immense disruption for both users and businesses along the line.”
Reader views (15)
To Patrick...fair enough there needs to be a time to maintain the service but don't promise it in the first place!
- steve, tottenham, 14/04/2010 16:16
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Oh No!...that was the comment heard when this was read out. Boris made promises, he said he wouldn't let Londoners down like Ken and now it seems to be a lot of back tracking on issues...Why was he voted in?
- Jacqui, London, 13/04/2010 23:43
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He hasn't kept any promises, this goes to show exactly what you get when you vote for a conservative, someone who promises everything and delivers nothing. Their main objective is to line their own pockets. If you think Labour are bad, you ain't seen nothing yet!
- Bob, Oval, 13/04/2010 23:23
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Bob, east london - Routes 18 and 149 will be next to loose bendies meaning a massive increase in buses and costs on these routes not to say congestion from all these extra buses. As for other routes well as per tender awards several have been granted their 2 year extensions!!
Latest news on Bendies - I read that Malta was interested in buying London bendies for its island services and as anyone who has visited Malta will know their roads and small and bendy with some steep hillsides!!! So much for arguments about bendies not being suitable for London streets.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 13/04/2010 18:50
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I never believed you could trust this. apart from deliver broken promises what has this idiot done for londoners? Nothing.
- alan rex, London, England, 13/04/2010 15:32
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What do you expect with this joker - he has broken so many promises, it would be shocking if he actually kept one! A future Tory leader in waiting if ever I saw one...
- Nick, Battersea, 13/04/2010 14:58
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Never mind about later night trains - how about some Tube lines running normally at the weekend for a change? It is becoming impossible to go anywhere in London by tube at the weekend, at any time of the day.
- Sal, London, 13/04/2010 13:55
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At least he stuck to his pledge to get rid of the Western Congestion Zone. Oh wait....
- Carl, London, 13/04/2010 13:47
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What about his pledge to get rid of the fleet of bendy busses? Any news on that? I am no supporter of Mr Johnson but I am not going to condemn him for breaking one pledge. However, if its the continuation of the bendies as well, he should hang his head in shame.
- bob, East London, 13/04/2010 13:21
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Boris hadn't realised the extent of night maintenance workers going to work for a good night's sleep.
- Stephen C, London, 13/04/2010 13:19
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Surprise surprise. Typical Tory backtracking on issues which mean nothing to the rich moneyed classes whom they represent.
- John Buckeridge, London, 13/04/2010 12:58
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For goodness sake people there has to be break sometime to clean up and maintain the system.
- Patrick, Dalston, 13/04/2010 12:30
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@ dave, london
@ Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Blah, blah, Tories, blah, blah ...
Just trying to get Unions not to strike at the drop of a hat is hard enough work.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 13/04/2010 12:08
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Just proves that these Tories will say anything to get elected and then renege once they have fooled the people into voting for them!
Wonder how his promise to remove the WEZ is getting on as at the mid-point in his term he has still not begun official consultation on his promise to remove it - lucky Barack O'Barma got on with the health reforms bill!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 13/04/2010 11:52
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I would be surprised,but Boris is a typical Conservative,promise everyone everything and deliver nothing.ps,has he managed to get a refund from Eton for failure to provide a decent education.
- dave, london, 13/04/2010 11:24
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