Forum topic: Transport for London's financial crisis poses multiple threats to the capital and the wider country

For more detail of the effects on active travel schems of the current funding regime for Tfl see this open letter to Alok Sharma, President of COP26 and Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport .

We welcome the publication of the Government’s new plan for achieving a net zero carbon UK. However, as the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has said, even this new set of policies will not deliver the level of carbon reduction required in law in the sixth carbon budget under the Climate Change Act (i.e. a 78% reduction compared to 1990 levels by 2035). Faster and deeper cuts in emissions will be needed.

In London that means investing more in measures that enable a dramatic mode shift away from cars and towards more walking, wheeling and cycling, and public transport – even the most optimistic projections for electric vehicle supply and uptake show that relying on EVs alone will be insufficient to make these faster, deeper cuts.

London has already shown what is possible to support people to choose to walk, wheel and cycle (active travel), and has one of the most successful public transport systems in the world. It has the capability to lead the way for England as a whole, as it did during Boris Johnson’s time as Mayor, by accelerating provision for safe cycling, wheeling and walking, and has a strong base from which to expand public transport. Indeed the DfT has taken a proactive, positive approach to widening access to safe cycling infrastructure and increasing walking during the pandemic, through its recent funding programmes.

However, the required acceleration in provision for active travel and increased public transport cannot happen without adequate and sustained funding. The funding secured by DfT for active travel for three years outside of London will have a transformational effect. In contrast, DfT is only funding TfL in six month tranches. This approach is clearly having a disastrous effect on TfL and London boroughs’ ability to plan and deliver the level of mode shift away from private cars needed to decarbonise London’s roads in line with the sixth carbon budget.

Negative impacts of the current funding situation include:

• All larger cycling and transport infrastructure projects that cannot be delivered within 6 months from start to finish are on hold. TfL and the boroughs have no ability to forward plan as a result.


• Recent emergency walking, wheeling and cycling schemes have often failed to be as inclusive as they should be. Short term funding has clearly made designing out or removing accessibility flaws less achievable. This limits the huge potential that exists for modal shift by Disabled people and all potential cargo cycle users (families & the logistics trade). It also limits these schemes’ effectiveness in reducing emissions.


• TfL are already being forced to make cuts to bus services, with further cuts on the cards if the current funding situation doesn’t stabilise.


• Safe junction designs (as mandated in DfT’s LTN 1/20 guidance) are proving largely impossible to deliver in temporary and trial schemes; yet junctions are where most collisions and fatalities to those walking and cycling arise – and therefore dangerous junctions remain one of the biggest barriers to mode shift in London.


• TfL has cut back significantly on funding cycling training for children and adults. In the DfT’s “Gear Change – one year on” document it was stated that: “The Government has a manifesto commitment to offer Bikeability training to every school child.” The Prime Minister announced “this commitment would extend to any adult that wanted cycle training.” But that no longer holds in many London boroughs. And this at a time when temporary schemes rolled out during the crisis, funded by the DfT, appear to be triggering a substantial mode shift, demonstrating the great potential for cycling in London, including among school pupils.

We have a rapidly shrinking window to act on the climate crisis. The UK is hosting the critical COP26 meeting in Glasgow, and takes on the year-long presidency of the COP. This brings an enormous weight of responsibility to show international leadership through domestic action.

We urge you to ensure that London is given a proper and sufficient funding settlement, including the ability to retain and raise funds within London, to support decarbonising what is the largest transport system of any city in Europe. Unless that happens, London’s ability to meet the decarbonisation targets you have rightly set is at serious risk, and therefore so too is that of the whole of the UK.

Yours,

Simon Munk, Campaigns Manager, London Cycling Campaign
Isabelle Clement, Director, Wheels for Wellbeing
Stephen Edwards, Interim CEO, Living Streets
Quentin Given, Lead Organiser, Friends of the Earth London Network
Michael McSherry, Chair, IWGB Cycling Instructors Branch
Leo Murray, Co-director, Possible
Alice Roberts, Head of Campaigns, CPRE London
Neil Roth, Honorary Secretary, Future Transport London
Rob Whitehead, Director of Strategic Projects, Centre For London

The threat posed by the failure of the government to adequately fund Transport for London has been widely publicised in the press in the last couple of weeks - see the links below for some recommended articles. In particular, the articles on the Ian's Visits website set out clearly the situation and the possible outcomes - which include the closure of an underground line. Ian also points out that the people facing the most disruption will be those in jobs which can't be done at home, who tend to be poorly paid. They will face a London with many fewer bus services, longer intervals on bus and tube and higher fares, and they may not have the option of driving.

To quote from Ian:

"The current funding deal that keeps TfL running is due to expire on 11th December 2021. TfL is currently seeking £500m in operational support through to the end of the financial year 2021/22, and around £1.2bn will be needed for the financial year 2022/23.

"TfL is unusual compared to other major city public transport networks in being dependent on revenue from ticket sales for 72 per cent of its income, which is unusually high by international standards.

"Although there is an argument that increased working from home has reduced the long term passenger numbers on London’s public transport, that reduction is likely to be concentrated in the higher earning office workers. If TfL is left to fund the majority of its services from fares as it currently has to, that cost burden will fall more heavily on those who can’t work from home, and those people typically tend to be at the lower end of the pay scale.

"A TfL that remains so heavily dependent on fares income would therefore increase inequality in London by forcing the lower paid to pay more to get to work."

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London Travelwatch has launched a campaign called Keep London Moving

"London faces a transport funding crisis.

"Transport for London have been getting financial support from the Government because of the pandemic, but this funding deal is due to expire on the 11th of December. If London's transport doesn't get the money it needs after that date, we could see an 18% reduction in bus services and a 9% cut to Tube services as well as a complete end to all active travel funding. This could result in a million fewer public transport journeys a day and drive a significant number of Londoners back into their cars.

"Public transport and active travel enables the poorest and most excluded individuals to get to work and access education and services. Affordable, reliable and frequent public transport services are also essential if London is to reduce its carbon emissions and clean up the toxic air which shortens the lives of thousands.

"Time is running out but you can still make your voice heard.

"If we act now, we can remind politicians that public transport and active travel is vital to all Londoners and people travelling in to the city. Let your MP, London Assembly member and councillor know why we need to #keeplondonmoving."

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Sources:

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2021/11/30/tfl-may-need-to-close-an-entire-tube-line-due-to-funding-crunch/

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2021/11/18/londons-transport-faces-a-future-of-managed-decline/

https://www.onlondon.co.uk/sadiq-khan-raises-alarm-about-tfl-funding-crisis-at-final-city-hall-mayors-question-time/

https://www.onlondon.co.uk/transport-for-london-prepares-for-managed-decline-of-network-as-government-fails-to-engage-on-funding/

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https://mailchi.mp/c0b14d346890/london-travelwatch-december-newsletter?e=993839c932

http://takeaction.londontravelwatch.org.uk/protect-londons-public-transport

https://mailchi.mp/89332443fdb9/help-protect-londons-public-transport?e=993839c932

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/20/andy-byford-we-cant-let-londons-transport-fall-into-managed-decline