Mayor's office defends record after Aylesbury MP blames Sadiq Khan for Tube strike

Aylesbury MP Rob Butler has expressed anger after a strike by London Underground staff forced the cancellation of trains from Aylesbury to London this week.

And Mr Butler is in doubt where the blame lies. The MP has called into question the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s long-term record over the strike action, claiming that, “his mismanagement over the past six years is to blame.”

There has in fact been a significant improvement in industrial relations at Transport for London (TfL) during Mr Khan’s tenure, which has seen a decrease in strike days of 70.2% compared to the previous Mayor, Boris Johnson, who lost 32,212 days to strikes in his 96 months at City Hall.

MP Rob Butler said:

“It is totally unacceptable that Aylesbury residents and commuters are suffering because of a tube strike in London.

“This is yet another example of appalling industrial relations at Transport for London under the Mayor of London: Sadiq Khan is not just damaging the capital city but also Buckinghamshire’s County Town.”

On Tuesday, around 10,000 Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members walked out in a dispute over job losses and pensions.

They are now set for another 24-hour strike, beginning at 00:01 on Thursday.

Sadiq Khan has spoken out against the action, saying: “This action is causing misery for Londoners and businesses alike and damaging TfL at the worst possible time. It's gone ahead despite there being no job losses, and no changes to pensions or conditions. I urge the RMT to come to the table and work with TfL.”

Regarding the criticism of his time in office, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: "The Mayor took a firm hold of TfL's finances when he took office, reducing the TfL deficit he inherited by 71%.

“He was on track to reach a net operating surplus whilst also making transport more affordable for millions of Londoners. The pandemic is the sole reason for TfL's current financial crisis, and the amount of money it needs to keep services running pales into insignificance compared to the huge economic contribution it makes to London and the whole country.

"It is simply a fact that TfL receives vastly less national government support than other rail operators around the country, benefitting from no government grant, which was given away by the previous Mayor. TfL now has to rely on fares for 72% of its income - meaning its finances were decimated by the huge drop in ridership as a result of the pandemic."

[PICTURE: Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan]