Credit: Amir Toossi, Unsplash
Stephen has joined five other Labour MPs in warning the government that the future of London’s Docklands Light Railway (DLR) could be under serious threat unless a sustainable funding deal for Transport for London (TfL) is agreed.
The six MPs, all Labour members in East or South East London constituencies, wrote to transport secretary Grant Shapps yesterday. The letter stated “…some of the [DLR] trains are now close to 30 years old” and that failure to give TfL a long-term deal means “…there is a risk that the existing contracts for new trains may have to be unpicked”.
TfL has received four short-term bailouts worth more than £4bn from central government since the start of Covid-19. The first came after revenues fell by more than 90 per cent during the first lockdown. The latest funding package runs out in five days.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, echoed the calls of Stephen and his colleagues. He warned that TfL services will likely need to be cut if a deal cannot be agreed.
Having sent the letter, Stephen said: “These cuts would have devastating effects on the DLR and the East London communities that rely on the network. I am particularly concerned about what it would mean for residents in the Royal Dock, where the DLR is the main transport option.”