Boris defended transport concessions for young & old

A couple of interesting points about Transport from Mayor's Question Time today.

Val Shawcross from the Labour Group produced a letter between the Government and the Mayor Boris Johnson.

In it she claimed that there was virtually an "open threat" to the Mayor that the funding could change and be reviewed at any time if "there is a deviation from the commitments refered to."

She interpreted that as the Government not trusting the Mayor - something the Mayor disagreed with and said she had to recognise the letter was "a product of a protracted negotiation."

However, more interesting was what the Mayor said next.

He said prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Treasury in the beginning were not convinced that all Londoners over 60 needed a 24-hour freedom pass.

"I will make no bones about it .. they said on the whole this was something only London had and they couldn't understand why I wanted it only for London. And they said couldn't I consider withdrawing the 24 hour pass and I said no."

He went on:

"And then they said what about the travel concessions for young people as nobody else in the rest of the country has these and I said no I would not withdraw those concessions. And what we've got here is a very very good deal for London in which the Department for Transport is really trying to itemise the things we have told them that we want to do. Of course we care going to make economies."

Val Shawcross then goes on to say: "They don't trust you not to wander off and do something kind of bizarre."

(some laughter from the gallery)

To which the Mayor said:

"We have full democratic early accountable freedom to get on and deliver the priorities for Londoners and those are itemised in our submissions and ...there were people who said that we shouldn't get rid of the western extension of the congestion charging zone even though this was democratically mandated... It was something I said I would consult on... And there is no doubt at all that people will try... to fetter the independence of this body but we will not let them and deliver on the priorities for London."

When he says people are 'trying to fetter indepenence', I wonder who he could be talking about?

Follow me on Twitter: @TomSEdwards

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