London's mayor Ken Livingstone is calling for the creation of a free afternoon newspaper - to help boost city transport coffers. He is hoping to strike a moneyspinning deal to offer the publisher a chance to give out editions on the underground.
Mr Livingstone said despite Londoners should have the "additional benefit of a free afternoon newspaper."
Transport for London (TfL) currently has an exclusive distribution deal with morning free newspaper the Metro.
TfL will prepare an advert inviting bids from newspaper organisations.
'Appropriate action'
Mr Livingstone said: "The contract entered into by London Underground six years ago with Associated Newspapers for the exclusive distribution of the Metro does not allow Londoners to get the additional benefit of a free afternoon newspaper.
"It is a matter of public record that other newspaper businesses would be willing to distribute a free afternoon paper and might even pay more than we are getting for the Metro deal.
"TfL therefore will be taking appropriate action to bring about the distribution of a free afternoon newspaper on the Tube."
Associated Newspapers, which publishes the Metro, recently launched Standard Lite, a free slimline edition of the Evening Standard distributed at lunchtime.
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