London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls for funding certainty for TfL

Mr Khan made the calls during a visit to the Wrightbus factory in Ballymena, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland where he viewed new electric double-decker buses which are expected in London in October. 

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan announces the ULEZ to cover the whole of London

The buses will be the first electric double-deckers manufactured for London in Northern Ireland and will be rolled out in October on route 111, linking Kingston to Heathrow.

But Mr Khan said that without funding certainty he would be unable to give clarity on future demand. 

The new electric London bus. (PA) (Image: Canva)

He said:"Londoners will soon see the all-electric buses we previously ordered built at this Ballymena factory on the capital’s roads, adding to our ever-increasing zero-emissions bus fleet and illustrating how investment in our capital can support innovation and jobs in green technology across the country."

"As it stands the Government’s short-term funding deals are trapping TfL on life support and putting innovation, economic growth, and jobs like this at risk, as well as slowing our efforts to improve energy security."

Mr Khan added: "I urge the Government to engage with TfL and City Hall in good faith over the next few weeks so that we can finally agree a fair, longer-term funding deal that will protect London’s transport network – for the sake of the capital and the whole country.”

The news comes following the Mayor's announcement on Friday that would see the ULEZ expanded across the whole of London.