The Transport Select Committee has questioned the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London (TfL) officials in an oral evidence session in Parliament. High Peak MP Robert Largan joined colleagues in questioning the Mayor of London on the implications of Coronavirus for public transport.

TfL recently received a £1.6 billion bailout from the taxpayer. Robert Largan MP asked a series of questions, scrutinising the efficiency of TfL and the Mayor of London’s financial management of public transport in the run-up to the bailout. 

Robert Largan MP raised his concerns that over 500 members of TfL staff are on salaries of over £100,000 and that £8.9 million is spent on Trade Union “facility time”, meanwhile 17 out of 25 major infrastructure projects are facing either delays or cancellation.

In wrapping up his line of questioning, Robert Largan MP said: 

“The reason in asking all these questions, given the bailout, my constituents have a transport system which is still several decades behind the capital. Obviously, it’s sometimes quite hard to swallow when their taxpayers’ money is going into bailout London.”

This wide-ranging discussion also covered the protection of workers and passengers, restarting public transport, encouraging walking and cycling, and the future of the Crossrail project.

Robert Largan MP commented:

“This marathon 2.5-hour hearing provided an opportunity to directly question the Mayor of London about the need to get a grip on spending. Given how High Peak taxpayers are contributing to the Mayor’s bailout, much more needs to be done to control costs and manage TfL more efficiently.

“I have been banging the drum for investment in High Peak since being elected, putting proposals like building the Mottram Bypass and upgrading the Hope Valley line back on the Westminster agenda. It simply is not right that the Mayor’s financial recklessness should allow London to claim more public money at the expense of the rest of the country.”