Mayor of London warns of possible shut down of Tube line

The mayor of London has said an entire Tube line could close if Transport for London (TfL) does not get more funding from central government.

Sadiq Khan warned that a £1.9bn shortfall could force a “managed decline”, leading to run-down services “reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s”.

He said shutting one of the Underground’s 11 lines was a “possibility” unless TfL secured long-term investment from the government.

Its Covid bailout ends on 11 December.

Mr Khan said TfL needs £500m to keep services running until next April, plus about £1.2bn for 2022/23.

The government has paid nearly £4bn to keep TfL services running during the coronavirus pandemic.

He added: “This is no exaggeration. This could mean more than 100 bus routes being withdrawn and less frequent Tube timetables on a number of lines and branches. TfL is even having to look at potentially closing a whole Tube line to achieve the savings it may need to make.

“There would also be an increase in road and tunnel closures due to a lack of money to maintain London’s key transport infrastructure.”

A government spokesperson said: “We have repeatedly shown our commitment to supporting London’s transport network through the pandemic.

“We will continue to discuss any further funding requirements with TfL and the mayor, and any support provided will focus on getting TfL back onto a sustainable financial footing in a way that is fair to taxpayers across the country.”

Mr Khan added “I’m hoping the government recognises you don’t get a national recovery without a London recovery. You don’t get a London recovery without TfL firing on all cylinders.

“The only reason we have got financial problems is because Londoners did the right thing [during the pandemic], didn’t use public transport, and our fares plummeted.”