Metropolitan Line Extension £50million short of budget

Posted by GLA Conservatives in News   Share2017

Mar
15

– Letter confirms project may stall if additional cash is not found
– Mayor’s fares policy could be putting £284million project at risk

Officials at Transport for London have confirmed the Metropolitan Line Extension is £50million short of funding.

The £284million project is set to connect the Metropolitan Line from Croxley to several new stations across Watford. The project received £49million from the previous Mayor of London, but recent cost projections by TfL show that £50million more will be required before it can progress.

Mayor Sadiq Khan, whose partial fares freeze has forced TfL to find £640million in savings, insists no more cash will be made available for the project. In a letter to Gareth Bacon, TfL’s Head of Rail Investment confirmed the Mayor and TfL are writing to the Department of Transport requesting additional funding.

In the letter he suggests the project can only be continued if the additional funding is found.

London Assembly member Gareth Bacon said;

“The Metropolitan Line extension’s future has been put in jeopardy due to the Mayor’s poor decision-making.

“His partial fares freeze has put TfL’s budget in total turmoil, and left him with no room to move if new expenses crop up.

“This £284million project was set to provide London with new links to thriving areas but, as is common in large projects, costs have increased over time.

“The Mayor will not be able to find this funding and instead wants the government to accept the burden of saving this project”