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| Coronavirus: Tube bailout needed 'by end of day', Sadiq Khan says | Coronavirus: Tube bailout needed 'by end of day', Sadiq Khan says |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Transport for London (TfL) will be forced to reduce services unless it receives a government grant by the end of the day, Sadiq Khan has claimed. | Transport for London (TfL) will be forced to reduce services unless it receives a government grant by the end of the day, Sadiq Khan has claimed. |
| Without financial support, the transport body must cut its Tube and bus networks, the mayor of London said. | Without financial support, the transport body must cut its Tube and bus networks, the mayor of London said. |
| Mr Khan said TfL had been negotiating with the government for about six weeks. | Mr Khan said TfL had been negotiating with the government for about six weeks. |
| The prime minister's official spokesman said negotiations were at an "advanced stage". | The prime minister's official spokesman said negotiations were at an "advanced stage". |
| The BBC has been told TFL - which previously said it expects to lose £4bn this year due to the impact of coronavirus - is negotiating a bailout worth several billion pounds. | |
| Bosses warned it would declare itself bankrupt without emergency finance by the end of Thursday. | |
| Speaking on LBC Radio the Labour mayor said: "At a time when the government is wanting us to increase services to get into the recovery phase, we might be required to cut services because the Government is failing to give us the grant support we need. | Speaking on LBC Radio the Labour mayor said: "At a time when the government is wanting us to increase services to get into the recovery phase, we might be required to cut services because the Government is failing to give us the grant support we need. |
| "TfL is legally treated like a local authority, which means we have to be able to balance the books. | "TfL is legally treated like a local authority, which means we have to be able to balance the books. |
| "If we don't get the deal done today, the [chief financial officer] of TfL has legal duties that he has to follow." | "If we don't get the deal done today, the [chief financial officer] of TfL has legal duties that he has to follow." |
| If no deal is agreed, TfL said, it would have to publish an unbalanced budget under the requirements of the Local Government Act. | |
| It would also be forced to issue a Section 114 notice - the equivalent of a public body going bust - which would ban it from spending any new cash. | |
| An emergency board meeting would be called, after which the government would have to step in or services could be wound-down, TfL said. | |
| TfL - which runs the Underground, buses, and some overground rail services - has already used £1bn of its reserves to keep the network running. | TfL - which runs the Underground, buses, and some overground rail services - has already used £1bn of its reserves to keep the network running. |
| It costs £600m a month to keep the network running on its current reduced service. | It costs £600m a month to keep the network running on its current reduced service. |
| The lockdown has led to a 95% cut in people using the Tube compared to this time last year. | The lockdown has led to a 95% cut in people using the Tube compared to this time last year. |
| The number of bus passengers has also dropped, by 85%, and customers no longer have to tap-in to pay for rides as part of measures to protect drivers. | The number of bus passengers has also dropped, by 85%, and customers no longer have to tap-in to pay for rides as part of measures to protect drivers. |
| Most TfL services are still running, but 7,000 staff - about 25% of the workforce - have been furloughed to cut costs. | Most TfL services are still running, but 7,000 staff - about 25% of the workforce - have been furloughed to cut costs. |
| Conservative candidate for mayor of London, Shaun Bailey, said: "Sadiq Khan has failed in his job as chairman of Transport for London. | Conservative candidate for mayor of London, Shaun Bailey, said: "Sadiq Khan has failed in his job as chairman of Transport for London. |
| "Coronavirus highlighted existing structural flaws within TfL's balance sheet - it is not the primary cause. | "Coronavirus highlighted existing structural flaws within TfL's balance sheet - it is not the primary cause. |
| "It is simply wrong for Sadiq Khan to then use Londoners - and key workers, making critical journeys - as collateral to get a bailout to cover his mismanagement and bad decision making." | "It is simply wrong for Sadiq Khan to then use Londoners - and key workers, making critical journeys - as collateral to get a bailout to cover his mismanagement and bad decision making." |
| A spokesman for 10 Downing Street said: "It is a commercial discussion. We remain in close contact with the mayor and TfL to look at how we can support them. | A spokesman for 10 Downing Street said: "It is a commercial discussion. We remain in close contact with the mayor and TfL to look at how we can support them. |
| "Our priority is on reaching an agreement which keeps critical services running for those passengers who must use public transport to get work, ensuring we keep London moving safely." | "Our priority is on reaching an agreement which keeps critical services running for those passengers who must use public transport to get work, ensuring we keep London moving safely." |