London mayor, Boris Johnson’s decision to axe bendy-buses, and his refusal to support a capital-wide congestion charge shows a lack of transport strategy, according to the RAC Foundation.
The group claimed the mayor was in danger of becoming ‘preoccupied with minority schemes’ and high-cost initiatives, rather than concentrating on fundamental travel problems.
His plans to scrap bendy buses and create a new Routemaster was criticised as ‘misdirected and prohibitively expensive’. The findings were published in A roads policy for London, which was commissioned by the foundation to influence the mayor’s draft London plan, due later this month.
It challenged the perceived dislike by Londoners of the bendy-bus, claiming the bias was fuelled by the London press.
‘The bendy-bus is an exceptionally-effective mover of large volumes of people, and extremely well used on the high-demand routes that the buses serve,’ it said.
A new-generation Routemaster could mean more buses would be required to carry the same passenger demand. ‘This will add to operating costs with the risk of later increased fares – or even less investment in roads – and add to traffic volumes and bus-on-bus congestion at stops,’ the report warned.
The foundation also warned against a policy focus on cycling and walking, as the car would remain the mode of choice for most journeys in outer London, with freight distribution served almost entirely by road.
Labour London Assembly member, Val Shawcross, said: ‘The mayor should pay close attention to this report, which reflects my concerns and those of lots of London’s travelling public.
‘It’s worrying, but it looks like the legacy of Mr Johnson’s wrong-headed transport policies could be higher fares, more congestion and longer waits.’
But Kulveer Ranger, the mayor’s transport adviser, said the RAC’s comments were ‘misguided and misdirected’. ‘On becoming mayor, Mr Johnson immediately set about protecting and improving the road network for all users.
‘Unlike the RAC Foundation, the mayor’s focus is not only on drivers. He makes no apology at all for pursuing radical measures to increase cycling and walking, and greatly enhance our public transport network.’ The mayor’s transport strategy will be released within a fortnight.
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