“BORIS BROKE PALACE TRAM PROMISE” – MP
Labour’s Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North, has condemned Boris Johnson for breaking his promise to extend the Croydon tram to Crystal Palace.
A statement from the MP’s office said the news was “sneaked out” in a TfL consultation document on the Bakerloo Line which admitted plans to extend the tram “are not actively being progressed”.
“This comes only months after the Tory Mayor said plans for the tram link were definitely going ahead and reassured Crystal Palace residents that he was working on the plans” said the statement.
“He had previously pledged to support the tram extension during his two mayoral election campaigns.”
Mr Reed said: “Boris Johnson has shown contempt for the people of Crystal Palace. “He promised to support the tram extension during his election campaigns in 2008 and 2012 and repeated that support as recently as March this year.
“But now we discover he had no intention of doing what he said. “People will be bitterly disappointed that the Mayor has broken his promises in this cavalier way. “Crystal Palace and London deserve better than this.”
The TfL consultation document on the Bakerloo line states:
“4.1.6. Although offering local benefits, extensions to the Tramlink are considered to offer
limited benefits to the wider southeast London area. “Such extensions would provide
no capacity relief to existing rail services and would only connect a limited part of Bromley or Crystal Palace to the Tramlink network.
“Tramlink extensions would not increase connectivity to central London or assist in developing the many OAs further north. “Therefore, these extensions are not actively being progressed at this time.”
News From Crystal Palace has asked the Mayor’s office for a comment but none has been received so far.
