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date: 2 February 2007

embargo: 00.01 hrs, 5 February 2007

Unions in London to scrutinise London Assembly Members over possible double standards on transport use

The TUC in London has condemned the proposal by the Conservative Group on the London Assembly to abolish free bus and tram travel for London's under 18s who are in full-time education.

Unions in London consider the existing fare concession to be a vital investment in London's future and of special importance to vulnerable families. Yet the concession is under threat from the Conservative Group on the London Assembly, with Roger Evans (Assembly Member) calling it 'an unaffordable luxury'.

Meanwhile, London Assembly Members have an entitlement to a free 'all-zone' travel pass. This benefit is worth up to £1,640 in 2006/07 and will be worth up to £1720 in 2007/08. Yes, Assembly Members do earn more than £50,000 per year but they do a difficult job, work long hours and we want them to use public transport and be close to the people who elect them - so the travel passes make sense.

But it would be unimaginable for any of those same London Assembly Members to vote to abolish the free bus and tram use of London's under 18s who are in full-time education, many of whom come from vulnerable families and live in poverty.

London Assembly Members can also use taxis, either provided by an account the GLA has with a taxi firm, or ones they have arranged themselves. Again, reasonable use is legitimate, with issues such as out of hours working, mobility and personal security being factors to consider. No doubt most Assembly Member's use of taxis is 'modest' but the GLA Audit Panel Papers (31 January 2007) report that the Conservative Chairman of the London Assembly, Brian Coleman, seems to have expended a staggering £5,534.17 of Londoner's money on taxi use between 1 April 2006 and 30 November 2006.

The TUC in London will be writing to Brian Coleman today (Monday) asking him to justify the huge taxi bill - and daring him to oppose free bus and tram use for London's under 18s at the GLA's Final Budget meeting, 14 February.

Megan Dobney, SERTUC Regional Secretary said:

'Unions in London think the concessionary fares to under 18s in full-time education are an investment in London's future and value for money. It has been calculated that the concession is worth up to £350 per child/young adult, not a fortune, but a crucial sum to those on low incomes or welfare benefits.

'We now know exactly how much London Assembly Member's travel expenses cost Londoners. We will be writing to all London Assembly Members asking them whether they intend to vote for the fare concession and we will be alert to any signs of double-standards or hypocrisy.'

The TUC in London has called for a lobby of London Assembly Members at City Hall, 9.00-10.15am, 14 February, when the London Assembly will be holding its 'final budget meeting'. Unions in London will urge parent's groups, children's charities and anti-poverty groups to join the lobby, which will ask all Assembly Members to defend the existing fares concession to London's under 18s who are in full-time education.

Organisations and individuals wishing to join the lobby should see the SERTUC web site www.tuc.org.uk/sertuc or contact SERTUC on 020 7467 1220, or to sign the on-line petition at http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-12823-f0.cfm?regional=7

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The GLA Audit Panel met 31 January. Item 9 on its agenda was a paper detailing the expenses of the Mayor and Assembly Members. The pdf of the committee paper is published on the GLA web site. London Assembly Members transport expenses are itemised per Member on page 5. http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/audit_panel_mtgs/2007/jan31/item09.pdf

- SERTUC is the regional TUC responsible for London, the South East and the East of England.

- 850,000 trade union members live and work in London.

- Poverty statistics are from 'London Divided: Income inequality and poverty in the capital', published by the Mayor of London. The existing fares concession is of direct help to those needy families. It is calculated that the concession is worth up to £350 per school age child.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet : a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Laurie Heselden T: 020 7467 1292; E: lheselden@tuc.org.uk

M: 0781 800 2877

Enquiries about the lobby: Matt Dykes 020 7467 1386; E; mdykes@tuc.org.uk ;

M: 07970 618 105

SERTUC Office: 020 7467 1220

Press release (800 words) issued 6 Feb 2007