LIB DEMS say 'No to Tube Privatisation': a letter sent to local newspapers

6.44.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Apr 2008

SIR: • It is nonsense to suggest Brian Paddick and the Liberal Democrats want to 'privatise' London Underground.

In fact, the Liberal Democrats propose that the Tube be run in EXACTLY the same way as the successful bus network, the award winning Docklands Light Rail and the East London Line [currently being upgraded and extended by Transport for London]. If Ken Livingstone is happy enough to have those transport systems being operated like that, what is wrong with doing the same on the Tube? The Labour government has saddled us with an unworkable PPP, which is costing many millions of pounds to sort out. Why the hostility to trying out a new model, based on something that we already know works???• When it comes to criticising Liberal Democrat concerns about the Low Emission Zone people should be asking why the Green Party is advocating people voting for a Mayor who earlier this spring brought forward a measure that will only increase the number of cars entering the existing Congestion Charge zone, and who also proceeds with a scheme which Transport for London themselves admit will only improve air quality in London by 3%? There are better and more radical ways to tackle air pollution and traffic congestion in London and the Liberal Democrats are serious about doing so.??• Darren Johnson and his colleague on the London Assembly have always been Ken Livingstone supporters. They have been taken in by being granted positions of supposed 'influence', seen The Mayor praise them when he wants their votes, and ignore them when he doesn't. It is due to their support that Ken Livingstone has been allowed to grab inflation busting increases in his share of the Council Tax every year for the past four years

• The question we all should be asking is; is the Green Party just another branch of the Labour Party now?

Yours, Stephen Knight, London [SW] Assembly Lib Dem Candidate