Boris Johnson wants to trial live CCTV cameras on buses

He also pledged to make tackling gun and knife crime a priority.

Liberal Democrat's candidate Brian Paddick, a former police officer, said Mr Johnson was "clueless about crime".

Green candidate Sian Berry said the policies would not work and the current Labour mayor Ken Livingstone accused Mr Johnson of "breathtaking hypocrisy".

Mr Johnson also said he would offer strong leadership, in contrast to what he described as the "fatalism and defeatism" of Mr Livingstone.

Bus CCTV

Among the specific measures in the manifesto are a plan to trial live CCTV cameras on buses and allocating 50 extra British Transport Police to the worst stations in outer London.

He also pledged to force under-18s who abuse their right to free bus travel to earn it back through community service projects.

The conservative candidate also set out plans for New York-style crime maps showing the crime levels in each of the city's neighbourhoods so local police commanders can be held to account at monthly public meetings.

"I want pensioners to feel safe to venture from their homes," Mr Johnson said. "I want people to believe it is worth reporting crime.

"I want the knives and guns off our streets. I believe that by systematically tackling small crimes, we can drive out more serious crime."

Hi-tech gimmicks

Mr Paddick, a former senior Metropolitan Police officer, said: "Live CCTV operates in all our town centres and does little to deter anti-social behaviour or speed-up a police response, how will it make any difference on the buses?

"The mayor has no control over the budget of the British Transport Police. Yet again Boris Johnson is showing he is clueless on crime and how policing works."

Mr Livingstone said: "Crime has now fallen for five years in a row, with murder for example down 28%, while the Tories voted against every budget which increased police numbers, and for Boris Johnson and the Tories to now present themselves as in favour of increased police number is therefore breathtaking hypocrisy."

Ms Berry said: "Johnson's proposals are designed to sound tough but won't work.

"We need more funds for real community policing, not hi-tech gimmicks like scanners and electronic maps."