TfL funding deal extended for 10 days as deadline reached

A funding deal between Transport for London and the Department for Transport has been extended for 10 days after the latest deadline fell today.

The short extension either means a future deal is mostly wrapped up, or the short term lack of clarity and planning will simply continue. What shall we bet on?

This being the DfT, a short term extension providing no certainty for the mid to long term is a real possibility. You need look no further than the seemingly never-ending extensions to Southeastern rail since 2014 from the DfT which halted much in the way of long term planning and service improvements.

Frustration

Many groups and politicians in London have implored the need for a long-term deal in the interests of stability for passengers, staff and business.

Back in March TfL head Andy Byford stated he wanted to see a 12-month deal” from the Government but accepted “it will be a shorter deal than that”.

“We can’t carry on with these hand to mouth deals. We must move on to a more secure financial footing. I’ve implored Government to see us as part of the solution. There is a real benefit in investing in transport to get London’s economy moving again.”

London now pays for certain concessionary passes after 2020 funding deal

The London Chamber of Commerce stated back in March when the last short term deal was announced: “It’s already clear that another deal would be needed beyond the mid-May funding deadline, as TfL’s revenue will still be significantly impacted by loss of commuters and tourists, likely into late 2021.

“It’s therefore disappointing that the offer doesn’t extend further at this stage.”

Both will be disappointed today.

TfL has been hit harder than many major cities across the world as central Government decided operating funding should predominantly be derived through fares rather than government assistance, or other measures common in parts of the world such as associated rental income from homes or commercial space. Thus when passenger numbers fell in a pandemic, London’s transport system was on the hook to a far greater extent than Paris, New York, Madrid, Hong Kong and many others which have a greater balance of income sources.

London is far more reliant on fares compared to other cities worldwide. Click to view comparison

Whether a wide-reaching deal can now be made in 10 days remains to be seen.

------------------

Adverts are far from enough to cover site costs and my rent.

You can support me via Paypal here

Another option is via Patreon by clicking here

You can also buy me a beer/coffee at Ko-fi here

There's also a Facebook page for the site here

Many thanks

J Smith

I've lived in south east London most of my life growing up in Greenwich borough and working in the area for many years. The site has contributors on occasion and we cover many different topics. Living and working in the area offers an insight into what is happening locally.

One thought on “TfL funding deal extended for 10 days as deadline reached

  • Thank you so much for your job.
    I live abroad but I have a flat in Charlton and I’d like to be updated by your site.
    In the next days I’ll donate some money to support your job.
    Is possible have an update regarding Charlton village and the new Flecthing road council houses development?
    I love Charlton and Charlton church Lane and I hope in the future it could be improved !
    Best.

    Giacomo

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.