Many Southwark residents will have seen the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announce the new Bakerloop line as part of his election campaign.
The new Superloop buses will go from Elephant & Castle station, where the trains terminate, through Burgess Park, Old Kent Road and then through to New Cross Gate and Lewisham. It’ll help our communities get around – and will support businesses across south London whose staff and customers can travel on a fast bus or benefit from fewer cars on the road.
We know that Superloop routes are popular – these express buses see 15% higher ridership than other bus routes.
If Sadiq is re-elected on 2nd May, we can expect work to start on the Bakerloop route after the election. Regardless of this good news about the Bakerloop, I will continue campaigning to make sure the Bakerloo line itself gets an extension. South London is under-served by public transport and the Government has to come to the table to help us rectify that.
Ministers have denied London the funding deals that they have given to other cities, which means that improvements like the Bakerloo line extension have been kicked into the long grass over and over again.
The Bakerloop is just one of the ways that City Hall is making public transport in London accessible and affordable. In March, TfL fares were frozen, so that Londoners do not have to pay any more this year than they did last year to get around. When the cost of everything is going up, this will be a welcome relief for lots of families struggling with the cost of living.
On top of that, the Mayor has launched “off peak Fridays” so that Friday fares are off-peak all day – giving Londoners another reason to get out and about on Fridays and enjoy London’s thriving nightlife after work.
Since being elected a London Assembly Member, I have seen how engaged and motivated our community is – and this election campaign has really underscored to me just how much Southwark residents care about their area. As well as transport connections, many people have spoken to me about homelessness – and how we can best help those sleeping rough.
Many homeless people struggle with addiction, poor mental health and have histories of trauma. Since the cost of living crisis, the barriers to them finding permanent homes have become much more substantial. That’s why I am pleased that Sadiq Khan has committed to the ending of rough sleeping in London by 2030, if he is re-elected. I want to see an end to the indignity, fear and isolation felt by those sleeping on the street and for all of us to enjoy our area.