Firms back Tube spending

Nine out of 10 London businesses back the Mayor’s multi-billion-pound spending spree on roads, cycle lanes and the Tube, a survey reveals today.

The ComRes poll by Transport for London of 68 leading business groups representing 13,500 members also showed that 76 per cent thought the spending helped create jobs.

Results, published to coincide with today’s TfL board meeting, highlighted the upgrade of the Tube, construction of Crossrail and investment in roads as their top three priorities for TfL. The business community believes that sustaining investment in transport is very important to London’s future competitiveness (79 per cent) and agrees that any cuts would damage businesses in the long term (95 per cent).

TfL’s business plan, presented to the board today, sets out transport investment plans over the next three years. Baroness Valentine, chief executive of business group, London First, said: “Londoners deserve a transport system that matches our position as one of the world’s leading cities.”