TfL Funding Update
Transport for London (TfL) today issued the following update on Government funding:
A Transport for London (TfL) spokesperson said: “We continue to discuss our funding requirements with the Government. There is no UK recovery from the pandemic without a London recovery and there is no London recovery without a properly funded transport network in the capital. It is essential London receives the sustained long-term Government funding that is vital for the coming years if a period of ‘managed decline’ of London’s transport network is to be avoided.
“We have today (4 February) agreed with the Government that our existing funding agreement will be extended until 18 February 2022 so that these discussions can be concluded. Working together, we must achieve a longer term capital funding settlement for at least three years, that ensures London’s transport network can remain reliable and efficient, can support the jobs and new homes that rely upon it and can support the economic recovery of the capital and the country as a whole. We hope these discussions can be concluded successfully soon. “
On 1 June 2021, TfL announced that an extraordinary funding and financing support package (the “Funding Package”) had been agreed between TfL and the DfT to support transport services in London and contribute towards TfL’s forecast revenue loss due to reduced passenger numbers using TfL services as a result of the pandemic. The Funding Package initially provided support for the period from 29 May 2021 to 11 December 2021 and was subsequently extended.
On 17 December 2021, TfL announced that the terms of the Funding Package had been amended to extend the funding period to 4 February 2022, to allow TfL to continue discussions with the government in relation to further financial support.
Following further discussion, the terms of the Funding Package have now been amended to define the funding period as 29 May 2021 to 18 February 2022. Other provisions of the Funding Package remain materially the same, including the Top Up Grant mechanism, pursuant to the terms of the Funding Package.
The original terms of the Funding Package announced on 1 June 2021 can be found in the funding letter.
Krupesh Hirani AM at the London Assembly Health Committee asking about hospitalisation and vaccines
It is incredibly important to take up all three doses of Covid vaccinations. Heard from Public Health Regional Director for London Professor Kevin Fenton at a recent Health Committee meeting at the London Assembly that 3 in 5 of those in London hospitals with Covid-19 are not vaccinated and 80% have not taken all three doses.
Tamil Heritage Month
As we approach the festival of Thai Pongal, it’s great that Assembly Members came together on a cross party basis to recognise Tamil Heritage Month.
Harrow has the largest Tamil community in the UK.
Calls for Construction Worker Temporary Visa scheme to help deliver the homes Londoners need
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has today called on Government to create a temporary visa scheme for construction workers to alleviate the debilitating double impact of Brexit and the pandemic on the building industry.
In September 2021 the UK-wide vacancy rate in construction rose to its highest recorded level since 2001 (1) and vacancies in construction were 40 per cent higher in summer 2021 than in the three months before the pandemic (2). Last year the Government instigated a temporary visa concession for EU lorry drivers and poultry workers to come to the UK.
The Mayor is proposing that ministers create a Coronavirus Recovery Visa to help sectors that are struggling with shortages of workers, including construction. The visa should offer at least 12 months to work in the UK and be appropriately tailored to sectors like construction where many workers prefer to work on a self-employed basis.
Some of the labour shortages in this sector could have already been addressed had the Government implemented the recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee’s October 2020 review to add ‘Bricklayers and masons’ and ‘Electricians and electrical fitters’ to the Shortage Occupation List. The Mayor is also calling for a regional shortage occupation list that allows London and other cities to attract and retain staff in sectors with acute labour shortages.
Prior to Brexit, the capital was dependent on migrant building workers with more than half the workforce being from the EU and beyond. ONS figures show that the number of construction workers in London from the EU fell 54 per cent between April 2017 and April 2020. Furthermore, the UK-born construction workforce is ageing, with an estimated 10-20 per cent reaching retirement age in the next five years.
The Mayor has hit his affordable housing target every year since taking office; 13,318 genuinely affordable homes were started in London last year alone, and in 2019/20 record numbers were started. The capital is also undergoing a council housing renaissance with boroughs starting more homes last year than at any time since the 1970s. However, this progress could be put at risk if construction sector employers cannot access a site-ready workforce to help build the homes Londoners need.
Whilst a temporary visa scheme would provide a short-term fix, the Mayor is determined that young Londoners see the building industry as a positive and viable career, allowing them to benefit from the wide range of opportunities available in the sector whilst building the homes and infrastructure London desperately needs. This was the impetus for the Mayor to set up his Mayor’s Construction Academy (MCA) in 2018, connecting Londoners to training in the skills they need to access vacancies in the capital’s developments, in trades, professions and management. Since the MCA programme’s launch, more than 24,500 Londoners have completed construction training.
The Mayor is also aware of the need for best practice in the construction industry and is a signatory to Unite the Union’s Construction Charter which sets out to improve the city’s construction standards protect workers and outlaw poor construction practices. The charter ensures building contractors and sub-contractors under the control of local authorities provide apprentice training, a safe working environment, and the industry rate of pay to workers.
City Hall’s official assessment of housing need in London found that the city now requires around 66,000 new homes a year to provide enough homes for current and future Londoners.
NHS North West London Covid-19 vaccination on-line webinars for parents, teachers and school nurses on vaccination for 12-15 year olds
Do you have questions about the COVID-19 immunisation program for 12 to 15 year olds?
NHS North West London is hosting on-line discussions for young people, parents, guardians, carers, teachers and school nurses to provide information, and answer any questions you might have about the vaccine and immunisation program, including questions related to clinically extremely vulnerable children. The panel will include consultant paediatricians Dr Liz Whittaker and Dr Hermione Lyall, a GP, as well as a parent.
Please register for the date/time you prefer using the link below. Both events are the same.
Thursday 20th January from 11 to 12pm – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/covid-19-vaccine-program-for-12-to-15-years-tickets-242875205277
Wednesday 26th January from 7pm to 8pm – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/covid-19-vaccine-program-for-12-to-15-years-tickets-243513414177
If the Eventbrite registration opens in Internet Explorer you will have cut and paste into another server
Following your registration, you should immediately receive confirmation. You will receive the TeamsLive link for the webinar 24 hours before the webinar starts
Meanwhile, information about the vaccination program for 12 to 15 year olds can be found here.
Sudbury Hill tube station lifts installed and in operation
Sudbury Hill Underground station on the Piccadilly line has become step-free, helping customers with reduced mobility to access the station and the wider transport network. Grade-II listed Sudbury Hill station now has two new lifts and improved signage giving customers step-free access from the street to the station platforms.
Alongside these upgrades, boarding ramps will continue to be available to assist customers to board or alight the train, along with tactile paving along the full length of both platforms.
TfL staff will be on hand to assist any customers with their journeys, as part of the Turn-up-and-go service.
The ticket hall has also been modernised with the removal of the redundant ticket office, which has improved the ticket hall environment, and care has been taken throughout the work to reflect the look and feel of the original Charles Holden-designed 1930s station. For example, bricks consistent with the rest of the building were used to construct the new lift shafts and a new window was specified to match the style of the existing ones.
The two new lifts will greatly improve access within the station for customers with reduced mobility including people travelling with heavy luggage or buggies and young children.
The completion of work at Sudbury Hill brings the total number of step-free stations on the Tube.
This is brilliant news for the community, with the installation of new lifts opening up local transport links to people with disabilities and mobility issues and making it a lot easier for people with pushchairs and young children to access tube services.
The cherry on top is the remodelling of the ticket hall which now more closely reflects the original architecture of the station.
I have been closely monitoring the progress of the works at Sudbury Hill since my election and I will be continuing to check for updates on the installation of lifts at Harrow-on-the-Hill in the new year.
Fines for red route contraventions in London set to increase
|
Transport for London (TfL) is moving forward with plans to increase the level of the penalty charge for road contraventions on double red lines from £130 to £160. The changes will come into effect from 17th January 2022 following a public consultation held between 5th August and 19th September 2021. Penalty charge notices (PCNs) are issued to the small number of drivers who fail to follow the rules on London’s network of red routes, putting the safety of themselves and other road users at risk and causing disruption and delays on some of the capital’s busiest and most important roads. The penalty charge will still be reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 14 days and increased by 50 per cent if paid after 28 days. Overall, there has been a 26 per cent increase in the number of PCNs issued for parking, loading, bus lane and moving traffic offences between 2016 and 2019. The penalty charge level increase is being introduced to deter contraventions of the road rules and support TfL’s Vision Zero aims to reduce road danger, improve public transport reliability and increase active travel. London’s red routes are roads managed by TfL. They make up five per cent of roads but carry 30 per cent of the capital’s traffic. Red routes exist to allow traffic to move safely and efficiently along some of the busiest roads in London. Stopping is generally prohibited on these roads, outside of designated locations and times clearly marked by signs. Failing to follow the rules and signs at junctions creates safety risks, disrupts traffic and creates congestion for everyone. Vital deliveries can be obstructed and buses and the emergency services can be delayed. Increasing the level of the penalty charge is about improving compliance, not penalising drivers. It should deter motorists from contravening essential rules and safety restrictions. PCNs are an important way of encouraging road users to follow the rules of the road and are only issued to the small number of drivers who contravene these rules. PCNs can be issued for contraventions such as:
The cost of a PCN for contraventions on the red route network has not increased for more than ten years. The last increase was in April 2011 when it rose from £120 to £130. TfL’s increase to £160 is in line with inflation since the last increase. The increase will also bring the charges in line with the penalties for non-payment of the Congestion Charge and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, which are also currently set at £160. Any revenue raised through these penalty notices is invested back into London’s transport network, which includes investing in its road network to improve safety for all road users. |
More help for those on low incomes to get rid of higher polluting vehicles as £5 million more added to the scrappage scheme to help people get ready for the ULEZ expansion later this year
- Mayor announces additional £5 million funding to support disabled and low-income Londoners to scrap older, more polluting vehicles, bringing total investment up to £61 million
- These schemes have been incredibly successful, helping replace or retrofit nearly 10,000 vehicles since 2019.
- Londoners have responded positively to the upcoming expansion of the ULEZ with over 80 per cent of vehicles seen in the zone already compliant
- A recent survey found that 26 per cent of owners of non-compliant vehicles had looked to change how they travel and 17 per cent had replaced their vehicle with a less polluting one
As part of the Mayor of London’s bold action to tackle dirty air across the capital, Sadiq Khan has today announced an additional £5 million for the scrappage scheme that is accelerating the move to cleaner vehicles across London.
The scrappage scheme aims to help Londoners on low incomes or with disabilities ditch their older, more polluting vehicles and switch to cleaner models, ahead of the Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion in October 2021 up to, but not including, the North and South Circular roads. Since the scheme was launched in 2019, it has helped replace or retrofit more than 10,000 vehicles.
As well as low income Londoners, the scheme has already successfully helped micro businesses, sole traders and charities to scrap more than 5,000 older vans. While the enthusiastic uptake of the vans scheme means that this element is currently suspended, it also means that Londoners are benefitting from reduced emissions from thousands of vans, even before the ULEZ expansion happens.
Motorists can apply for:
- £2,000 for scrapping a car
- £1,000 for scrapping a motorcycle or moped
Charities can continue to access funding to scrap minibuses, given their vital role in our communities and the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
Polluting vehicles account for around 50 per cent of London’s harmful NOx air emissions. The health impacts of air pollution have an economic cost to the capital and research from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has showed that cleaner air could also boost the economy by £1.6 billion.
While significant progress has been made, with a substantial reduction in the number of Londoners living in areas exceeding legal limits for NO2, tens of thousands of Londoners still breathe illegally polluted air and 99 per cent of Londoners live in areas exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended guidelines for PM2.5, which are much tighter than the legal standards.
The Mayor’s additional investment in London’s scrappage scheme has been made without Government, unlike the scrappage schemes supporting Birmingham and Bath’s Clean Air Zones which have received significant Government support. This is despite the fact that Londoners are paying hundreds of millions of pounds in Vehicle Excise Duty every year, even though only a tiny fraction of it is spent in the capital.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Air pollution is a national health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leading to thousands of premature deaths.
“Despite the lack of Government support, our car and motorcycle scrappage scheme will continue to help low-income and disabled Londoners scrap their older, polluting vehicles and switch to walking, cycling and public transport or a cleaner vehicle.
“In central London, the Ultra Low Emission Zone has already helped cut toxic roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half and led to reductions that are five times greater than the national average. But pollution isn’t just a central London problem, which is why expanding the ULEZ later this year will benefit Londoners across the whole of the city and is a crucial step in London’s green recovery. There is no time to waste. We know pollution hits the poorest Londoners and those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities the hardest, which is why I’m doing everything I can to improve the health for all Londoners.
“We need the Government to follow London’s lead and help clean our filthy air once and for all, by strengthening the Environment Bill to include WHO recommended air quality limits to be met by 2030 and supporting a targeted national vehicle scrappage fund that will help motorists across the UK to ditch their polluting cars.”
Suha Al-Khayyat, Artistic Co-Director at Little Fish Theatre Company said: “Little Fish Theatre works with underserved young people across London. The company tours large scale theatre shows into venues big and small, relying on good transport for its theatre set and actors. Before the scrappage scheme, Little Fish was using a van that was far from environmentally friendly. The scheme enabled the company to put a large deposit on a new vehicle which finally met the safety standards needed, providing us and all our hard working staff with a comfortable and reliable mode of transport. Without the scheme, it would have taken a number of years to raise the funds needed for the upgrade. We are now the proud owners of a Euro 6 van that meets the ULEZ standards, enabling us to reach more young people.”
Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “We know that London’s dirty air hits the most vulnerable the hardest. It leads to thousands of premature deaths, induces asthma and impacts the development of children’s lungs. That’s why the expansion of the ULEZ up to but not including the north and south circular is vital for the health of Londoners. The larger zone, which is 18 times the size of current one, will see harmful nitrogen dioxide cut by around 30 per cent across the whole city. We recognise that some more vulnerable Londoners may need a vehicle to get around, which is why we are delighted to announce this additional £5million to help them make the green transition.”
Details:
- To apply for the scheme visit here: http://tfl.gov.uk/car-motorcycle-scrappage. Individuals eligible for the £25 million scheme need to be in receipt of one or more of the following means-tested benefits:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
- Working Tax Credit
And/or applicants in receipt of one or more of the following non means-tested Disability benefits:
- Personal Independence Payment
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Carers’ Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits
- Constant Attendance Allowance
The applicant must also reside within the Greater London Authority boundary.
- TfL have an online tool to help people check whether their vehicle meets the ULEZ standards, which has been used almost 3.5 million times: www.tfl.gov.uk/ulez.
The CBI report was published in 2020: https://www.cbi.org.uk/articles/what-is-the-economic-potential-released-by-achieving-clean-air-in-the-uk-1/#:~:text=CBI%20Economics%20research%20on%20behalf,an%20individual%20attends%20work%20ill
Question to the Mayor from Krupesh Hirani on tube noise in the Kingsbury area
Tube noise continues to be a huge issue across London. Within my constituency Transport for London (TfL) has trialled different lubrications on some trains in Kingsbury as this ‘further reduces friction between the wheels and track, particularly around curves’ and this has proved successful. When do you expect to roll this vital initiative out to the entire fleet?
Answered By: The Mayor Date: Tuesday, 1st June 2021
Tackling Tube noise continues to be a priority for me and for Transport for London (TfL), including around Kingsbury where TfL is investigating new on-train lubricators, which, as mentioned, could reduce friction between the wheels and track, particularly around curves.
Unfortunately, recent testing has found that the initial design is not suitable for installation on the Jubilee line fleet. TfL is now investigating different designs of on-train lubricators to assess whether these could be installed on the Jubilee line.
I have asked that TfL officers keep you updated on the progress of these works.
Can you also please provide a date for the spring 2021 fitting of electrical lubricants on the Kingsbury track as promised by TfL back in February?
Answered By: The Mayor Date: Tuesday, 1st June 2021
The installation of electrical lubricators, which should help to mitigate noise by more reliably applying lubrication to the track, is now expected to be completed by the end of July 2021.
These works have unfortunately been delayed as a result of social distancing requirements due to the coronavirus pandemic, but I have urged Transport for London to ensure they are completed as quickly as possible.