Sadiq Khan slammed for “appallingly short” Congestion Charge consultation

At Mayor's Question Time, Tony Devenish AM slammed Sadiq Khan for sneaking out a very short consultation on his plan to hike up the Congestion Charge which gave Londoners only days to have their say. The consultation appeared on Transport for London’s website with no announcement and gave Londoners only a few days to provide their views on the Mayor’s controversial Congestion Charge plans. Tony Devenish told the Mayor: "I thought we had a cross-party consensus that we all understand that TfL do a pretty good job at running a very complex asset management system, but that they do more in terms of customer service and not having a tin ear. "Did you instruct them to have such a short consultation because it's a sham to have a few days for such a major change, whether you are for it or against it." "All I am asking is that Londoners get their say."

The Mayor refused to say whether he instructed Transport for London to hold such a short consultation.

The Mayor's Congestion Charge hike comes into force on Monday (22nd June) and will increase the charge to £15 and extend hours from 7 am until 10 pm for seven days a week. Sadiq Khan was caught lying at last month's Mayor's Question Time when he blamed the Congestion Charge hike on the Government, despite telling Good Morning Britain viewers it was his decision.

Watch Sadiq Khan admit to Piers Morgan that it was, in fact, his decision.

Sadiq Khan has denied Londoners their say on his damaging plan to hike up the Congestion Charge during the coronavirus crisis. Sadiq Khan is attempting to hide the consequences of his incompetent handling Transport for London's finances behind the Government's bailout terms. In the past four years, the Mayor has pursued transport policies which he knew TfL could not afford. And now Londoners are paying the price.

• He lost at least £640 million subsidising tourist travel while Londoners saw the cost of their travel cards rise.

• The delay to Crossrail, a vital project which was on time and budget when Khan inherited it, has cost £3.65 billion in bailouts and £1.35 billion in lost revenue.

• Transport for London's debt rocketed to a record £13 billion after Khan maxed out its credit cards.

• 21 major transport projects were delayed or cancelled as a consequence of Sadiq Khan's financial mismanagement.

Now the Mayor is trying to hide the consequences of his decisions at the helm of Transport for London.