The Scoop

'London's trains don't really matter,' Lib Dems' mayoral candidate declares

Darryl Chamberlain | Monday 6 February, 2012 19:55

When you’re running for London’s top job, it probably isn’t a wise idea to tell the capital’s train travellers their journeys aren’t really that important.

Monday saw Boris Johnson declare he wanted to take charge of London’s National Rail franchise. It won’t have come as a surprise to hardened rail-watchers, but the Evening Standard loyally gave him its front page splash, with vox-pops of grateful Londoners queuing up to say why they might vote for him.

Of course, Ken Livingstone announced something very similar a few weeks ago – but funnily enough, didn’t get the same coverage from the Standard. Wonder why that was?

For many who endure the likes of Southeastern, First Capital Connect and the late, unlamented National Express East Anglia each day, these are welcome signs that they might end up seeing improved services at some point during their lifetimes.

But left out of all this coverage was Lib Dem mayoral candidate Brian Paddick. What are his plans for London’s trains? This press release hit political hacks’ inboxes this afternoon…

Six months from London riots-Johnson and Livingstone can only talk about trains

Commenting on Mayor Boris Johnson’s transport announcement today, Lib Dem Mayoral Candidate and former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Brian Paddick said:

“Today it is exactly 6 months since the London riots, yet Mayor Boris Johnson decided to mark this serious event by announcing he should have control of overground trains.

“This is unacceptable. Londoners consistently rate crime and policing as the most important issues in this election – not transport.

“Until he and his Labour opponent have addressed the causes of the riots and the need for serious reform of policing they continue to demonstrate themselves unfit to hold the post of Mayor.”

Roughly translated, that means Brian’s pissed off his trip to Tottenham has gone largely unnoticed.

But mocking Boris and Ken for putting transport centre stage seems an odd strategy. It’s the one area the mayor has always had strong powers over. Ken moved ahead of Boris in the polls after last month’s fare rises.

To mock this big issue as mere “talking about trains” won’t lift Brian’s low profile in the minds of Londoners who struggle daily to use those trains. Yet the prospect of TfL taking over the capital’s dirty, dimly-lit and poorly-staffed mainline stations and giving them an Overground-style makeover should surely appeal to his crime-fighting agenda.

Until he realises what Boris and Ken have realised, Brian Paddick will struggle to win over voters stuck on platforms in Ladywell and London Fields.

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