Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem leader in the London Assembly, has joined Brent Lib Dem councillors in criticising Transport for London's waste of £8,000 installing Help Points at Neasden tube station - and never putting them into use for passengers.
The Mayor recently confirmed in answer to a question from Caroline that Neasden is the only tube station to have had Help Points fitted which are then not used. He also confirmed that "on average the cost is £4,000 for the unit. The two disused Help Points at Neasden could have cost around £8,000 of taxpayers’ money.
The national Public Accounts Committee found that £410 million had been wasted by the former Labour Government by failing to properly risk manage of having various parts of the management of the Tube leased to the private sector on 30-year leases.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson refuses to bring the Metropolitan Line train platforms at Neasden into public use when the Jubilee line is down - even though Help Points have been installed, for staff use only - and resident continue to be disrupted when work takes place.
David Clues, Lib Dem councillor for Dudden Hill, commented:
"The disused Help Points just sum up Boris’ failure to properly manage our Tube network. The Jubilee line works have now overrun by months and we’re not convinced at all they will even be finished in time for Christmas shopping. Boris’s is simply being short-sighted in not opening up the Met Line platform to give local Brent residents an alternative. Instead, he seems happy to let TfL waste £8000 on installing Help Points which only staff can use.
"When Sarah Teather and the Liberal Democrats successfully lobbied to get Met Line trains stopped at Willesden Green during Jubilee Line works, thousands of local people benefited. Boris must now invest in Neasden station so residents are not left high and dry for as long as his team take to finally finish the job."