London Mayor warns council tax may rise to rescue TfL

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned that council tax in Greater London may have to rise by £20 a year for the next three years unless the government agrees a long-term funding settlement for Transport for London. The present settlement expires tomorrow, and passenger figures have been falling again since the reintroduction of Covid restrictions. Other possible economies include increasing the age at which Londoners are eligible for free travel, currently 60, over the next 12 years, while the Mayor had already warned that an Underground line might have to close. He continued: ‘Train companies across the UK have faced the same emergency funding issues as TfL. In every case, the Government has bailed out the private rail operators with long-term agreements. However, the Government is treating London differently.’ The RMT union has described the escalating crisis at TfL as a ‘looming financial meltdown’. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘This is a shameful way to treat London and London’s key transport workers and this union stands ready to fight any cuts programme, whatever direction it comes from.’