The Government is in discussions about a financial support package to help Transport for London, which was experiencing financial difficulties even before the coronavirus hit its fare income.
The transport authority has been hit by the loss of its government grant funding of £700m a year since 2018, the fare freeze imposed by mayor Sadiq Khan and delays and extra costs related to the troubled Crossrail project.
It has now seen revenue income fall from the massive decrease in journeys as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, with London tube journeys down by 94%.
The transport minister Chris Heaton-Harris told the Commons transport select committee that overall road traffic was also down 71% for last year, falling by 83% on the strategic road network (motorways and trunk roads).
The minister told the committee, by video link, that the government is 'talking to TfL about its funding' and wants to ensure it can support TfL in carrying out its work.
Baroness Vere also said that the government was working on a financial support package for trams and light rail but this was complicated.
'Each system is different. The revenue risk is held in different ways so we are looking at each system and getting data back to try and understand how we can support light rail going forward.'
Mr Heaton-Harris revealed that he had heard that some disabled rail passengers were not being given help.
Apparently staff had said they could not help because of social distancing but the minister said this was not the guidance.
'We have given very detailed guidance. Disabled passengers should be helped. Train operating companies have been told and these messages should be passed on to staff.'
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