Cllr Bob Belam

The Liberal Democrats have outlined key proposals to revive London’s failing Tube network. It is hoped that these measures could restore confidence in the London Underground after taxpayers have forked out at least £2.6 billion for Gordon Brown’s disastrous Public Private Partnership.The ideas focus on improving the daily travel experience by making the Tube safer, faster and more friendly. They include initiatives to ensure an increase in the number of step-free access stations by 2012 in a bid to help reduce congestion and improve disabled access. Strong emphasis will also be placed on passenger safety on the Tube with a suggestion that every evening train should have a ‘SAFE’ carriage supervised by a security guard.

Currently under the PPP station upgrades are placed as the top of the priority list. Rather than worrying about how the station looks Geoff Pope, the Lib Dems Assembly Transport spokesperson, has argued that first work to improve the signals and tracks should take priority –  which would see a massive reduction in the delays and cancellations that currently hinder the daily journey of many Londoners.

Geoff said, “We would like to make London Underground as successful as the DLR and London Overground railway networks.  Under Labour, the waiting time for a Tube has actually increased and overcrowding has become a real danger at some stations. It is clear that the current system is being mismanaged.”