The plan would mean six officers dedicated to each ward

Ken Livingstone said more neighbourhood policing would cut burglary and street crime and reduce crime rates by "something like 50%" in four years.

He has proposed a 52p-a-week increase in council tax for Band D properties and is asking for government help.

A Mori survey found 60% supported a �3-a-month increase in council tax to pay for dedicated police units.

And according to the Annual London Survey of 1,429 people, 25% were against it, while the remainder were ambivalent.

Even Batman would struggle to reduce a city's crime rate by the 50% in four years Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats' London mayoral candidate

It also found that 38% of Londoners think crime and safety fears are the worst aspect of living in the city.

The mayor's idea is to have six police officers dedicated to each ward or area and increase police numbers to 35,000.

Scotland Yard announced on Monday it had more than 30,000 officers for the first time.

Mr Livingstone said: "I expect that we will see something like a 50% cut in crime by the time we have got neighbourhood policing fully rolled out across the whole of London.

"If we get government assistance with that, it could be by the end of 2006. It could easily stretch another year if we have to rely on our own resources."

But Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats' London mayoral candidate, said the 50% target was "unrealistic, unworkable and undeliverable".

"Even Batman would struggle to reduce a city's crime rate by the 50% in four years."

Mr Hughes said the focus should also be on solving crime and boosting the perception of London as a safe place to live and work.