Buses must improve, says Kiley

Dramatic improvements in bus services should be achieved and maintained before congestion charging is introduced into London, according to the capital's transport commissioner Bob Kiley.

After months of debate about the lack of any target for improvements, Mr Kiley has told the Evening Standard he would want to see the six per cent increase in bus usage recorded this year repeated next year before the charge is imposed. The use of night buses has increased 16 per cent in the past year.

Previously Ken Livingstone has fobbed off demands for a target by telling the London Assembly that he will instinctively know when the time is right. The Mayor can introduce the charge when he likes but knows public transport must improve first to cater for the 15 per cent of drivers he hopes will abandon their cars.

"Mr Kiley said: "We had a six per cent increase this year and increase of that level over the next couple of years would be enough."

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