A protest will be taking place this week over potential cuts to Transport for London (TfL).
Unions and politicians have warned that London transport will “grind to a halt” if long-term financial planning is not implemented.
The protest will take place outside Parliament on Wednesday (December 1), days before an expected decision on TfL funding.
The network has received three government bailouts worth over £4 billion since May 2020, but its current emergency funding deal expires on December 11.
No decision has been made yet on TfL’s funding future, and without the promise of funding at least, there could be job and service cuts.
READ MORE: The Tube line that ‘could be closed in 3 weeks’ over ‘funding crisis’
The general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), Manuel Cortes warned that London public transport could grind to a halt without a long-term financial plan.
He said: “This is a hugely important demonstration because we know our public transport system in London desperately needs a proper long-term funding settlement from the Government.
“Yet instead, we see ministers attacking TfL services and budgets with the sole aim of undermining London and our brave transport workers who have stood on the front line throughout the Covid crisis.
“We will make it clear to those inside the Westminster Parliament that we are not going away. Ministers must step up to the plate before services really do start grinding to a halt.”
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Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), said: “As the December 11 deadline for negotiating a new funding package for TfL approaches, RMT will be joining London’s other trade unions to demonstrate outside Parliament, calling on the Government to stop its attacks on transport workers and for the restoration of the operating grant to TfL.
“This demonstration will be making it clear that attacks on pensions, pay freezes and threats to services and jobs is not an acceptable way to treat London’s transport workers who have kept the city moving through a global pandemic.”
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