Tory Mayor cancels trams for north Lambeth

8.20.18pm GMT Sun 16th Nov 2008

The Cross-River Tram and Croydon Tramlink extension have been scrapped by the Mayor

Caroline Pidgeon, London Assembly Liberal Democrat spokesperson on transport, and Vauxhall's Lib Dem campaigner, has slammed Mayor Boris Johnson's decision to stop plans for trams from Brixton and Peckham to Waterloo and Camden.

"It is staggering that schemes such as the Cross River Tram, the Croydon Tramlink Extension and the East London Transit appear to have been scrapped with nothing in their place apart from, perhaps, a few more polluting diesel buses.

"Having prevaricated since his election about doing something for south London, he has dismissed Cross River Tram and DLR extensions as "political" when they have a strong business case and would regenerate disadvantaged communities at a time of economic downturn.

"I find it odd that a Tory Mayor moans that there is no government funding to deliver these projects instead of looking for private sector funding or enterprising business groups who believe they can make a profitable business out of them.

"Although I am delighted he has joined the Lib Dems in fighting chaotic street works and other clutter on our streets such as excess signs and railings, we look forward to real action on the bike hire scheme which we proposed back in 2001.

The only seed of hope for the future is that TfL has not ruled out funding for Phase 2b of the East London Line Extension from Surrey Canal Road to Clapham Junction. This would provide Londoners with a truly orbital transport link, meaning that many journeys across south London would no longer have to be via central London"