Mayor: I'll sort out tube and trains next

Ken Livingstone today promised to transform the Tube and suburban trains if he is re-elected Mayor.

He said they were next in line for major improvements after his overhaul of the bus network, which now carries six million passengers each weekday - up 1.75million since he came to power four years ago.

His transport manifesto, unveiled today, states: "The next step is similar improvements to Tube and rail services in London.

"Within the planned resources available to Transport for London, we will be able to build substantially on the achievements of the past four years."

He wants to convince the Governmentto give him control of suburban-rail services, allowing fares to be reduced to match those on the Underground. The manifesto states: "Our aim will be to rescue suburban rail lines and the stations serving them from neglect and transform them into a bright, attractive and safe part of London's transport system."

However, much will depend on this summer's review in which the Government sets out its spending plans for the next three years.

Investment of about £1billion a year in the Tube under the public-private partnership (PPP) has been earmarked, but there is uncertainty whether the Mayor will be given more money to spend on

other schemes.

TfL is heading for a £1billion a year "black hole" in its accounts without more subsidy, and transport experts believe fare rises are inevitable if London loses out to the rest of the country.

As expected, Mr Livingstone also proposes to remove the "hassle factor" associated with paying the congestion charge. Drivers will be able to set up direct debits to eliminate the possibility of forgetting to pay the £5-a-day charge and ending up with an £80 fine. Also, the charging period will end half an hour earlier at 6pm if the zone is extended into Kensington and Chelsea.

Other key initiatives include:

and Saturday nights.

Mr Livingstone, the Labour candidate, also proposes 20mph zones near schools and "in appropriate residential streets" to reduce road casualties by 40 per cent by 2010.

He promises to ensure "every London bus" will be accessible to the disabledelderly and people with pushchairs - meaning the traditional opendeck Routemasters will finally be phased out.

And he will continue to press the Government to back major infrastructure projects, such as the £10billion Crossrail train line linking Heathrow to Stratford and the Isle of Dogs as well as a £ 1billion extension to the East London line, thought vital for the capital's Olympic bid.

He said they were a direct contrast to those of his Conservative rival Steve Norris, who wants to scrap the congestion charge and Thames Gateway Bridge plans while reducing the bus network.