Protect frontline policing and give Londoners back a tenner: a better budget for London

Today Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly published their alternative budget for London, protecting frontline public services whilst also detailing cuts to waste and perks that will cut bills for ordinary Londoners.

The budget includes:

• A better and fairer fares package, including a One Hour Bus Ticket, the introduction of part-weekly Travelcards, the reintroduction of a one-day Zone 2 – 6 Travelcard and a lower ‘early bird’ fare for tube, DLR and TfL rail;
• The reinstatement of 150 police sergeant posts that have been removed from Safer Neighbourhood Teams across London; and
• Action to start switching all of London’s bus fleet to electric buses by 2020.

The steps that will pay for this include abolishing perks for staff, selling properties and tackling fare evasion. That will also free up funds to cut the Greater London Authority’s share of Council Tax bills by 3.2%.

Mike Tuffrey, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group Budget spokesperson, said:

When most Londoners are struggling with zero pay rises and increased household costs, it is wrong that the Mayor is not helping them in these tough economic times.

By slashing waste, perks and unnecessary expenditure our proposals enable services to be protected whilst giving many Londoners a much needed tenner back in their pockets.