Anger as Livingstone U-Turns on Rail Police Promise

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 30th Jun 2006

Councillor Brian Robson has slammed London Mayor Ken Livingstone, after Liberal Democrats at the London Assembly revealed figures showing that one third of the extra police the Mayor promised for over-ground rail have actually been deployed elsewhere.

The news comes less than six months after the London Assembly announced that Lewisham Station was 10th in London for the number of crimes reported per year. A survey by Lewisham Council earlier this year reported that 53% of borough residents feel unsafe or uneasy at local stations.

Councillor Brian Robson (Lee Green Ward) said:

"Like many other Lewisham residents, I rely on trains to get into central London. Londoners were promised extra over-ground rail police by the London Mayor earlier this year - but now we find we're getting a third less than the Mayor promised."

Cllr. Robson, whose Lee Green ward includes two over-ground stations (Hither Green and Lee) added:

"We're not asking for much - just for commuters to feel safe by seeing a uniformed presence on their stations and trains. Sadly, despite his Council Tax hikes, Mayor Ken can't even deliver on this."

The re-deployment was exposed by Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly this Wednesday (Source: http://glalibdems.org.uk/news/396.html ).

The London Mayor promised 89 extra officers in February 2006 and again in May 2006.

Lewisham Station was found to have had 140 crimes reported during 2004, the 10th highest over-ground station total outside Zone 1. (Source: "Crime and Safety at London's Suburban Railway Stations", London Assembly, January 2006).

A Safer Stations Survey carried out between December 2005 and January 2006 by Lewisham Council reported that 53% of borough residents feel unsafe or uneasy at local stations.