Labour blocking more free public lavatories on the London Underground

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

From The Telegraph via MSN

Sadiq Khan has been plunged into a row over free lavatories on the London Underground after Labour party officials blocked plans to help commuters that find themselves caught short.

The London Assembly Labour Group has rejected an amendment tabled by the Green party to divert £20m into building new lavatories across Transport for London stations

The proposals could be paid out of TfL^» (Transport for London - about) cash reserves and would bring in increased fares, according to Green London Assembly member Caroline Russell. 

She said: “Despite warm words and many years of cross-party support for more loos for London, the Labour group today chose to vote against my amendment.

“This was a fully costed and feasible plan for new, free toilets at TfL stations, which would mean more accessible toilets for everyone if the Mayor took it up.

“Labour seem unwilling to put their money where their mouth is on this issue, and they will need to answer to older and disabled people and the workers getting around our city who are losing out as a result.”

Labour’s rejection comes as Mr Khan, chairman of TfL, faces pressure to balance the books at the transport authority.

The London mayor was forced to ask the Westminster government for billions of pounds of state aid to keep TfL out of bankruptcy - money that came with conditions attached such as rowing back on a commitment to freeze fares.

Demand for Tube and bus services remains stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels as many people snub returning to the office in favour of working from home. Passenger numbers on the Underground are between 60pc and 80pc of pre-crisis levels and bus levels at 80pc to 90pc.

Fare takings are lower as a result, forcing TfL to take difficult decisions by cutting costs.

Former minister Norman Baker from the Campaign for Better Transport said: “More public toilets would be welcome on the London Underground though we do understand TfL is not flush with money. Indeed with fares going up, Londoners are already spending a lot more than a penny to travel on the tube.”

Transport for London did not respond to requests for comment.

[JayMac]

Or, "Labour not being profligate with public money."

[Ralph Ayres]

Noting the reference to diverting £20m, I did a bit of Googling and unearthed a news item noting that
"Green London Assembly Member Caroline Russell says the proposals could be paid for from TfL^» (Transport for London - about)’s cash reserves – which in turn would increase fares". 
It was actually part of a package of changes the Greens suggested, and the package as a whole was rejected, always a risk when you bundle things together. I for one would definitely be in favour of more public loos but for years they have been an easy target for budget cuts generally, not just on stations, and that's sadly less likely to change now than ever given the state of the economy.