• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • COMMENT
  • CONTACT
  • Twitter

Despite the spin, the Tube’s zero carbon energy is actually thanks to Boris

July 25, 2016 - Martin Hoscik@martinhoscik

sadiq_mqt_june_1200If Monday’s announcement that City Hall would soon be able to supply low-cost and clean energy to Transport for London had a very familiar ring to it, that’s because it’s a scheme dating back to March 2013 which has already been announced at least twice by Boris Johnson.

Unfortunately City Hall forgot to highlight the scheme’s pedigree in its press release, an omission which means current Mayor Sadiq Khan got some positive write-ups in the Evening Standard and elsewhere for a scheme which he had, if we’re being generous, very little to do with.

You’ll notice too that while the list of other press releases appearing alongside today’s announcement do predate Sadiq’s mayoralty, it omits to include links to announcements trumpeting earlier steps in the scheme’s development.

london_gov_prs

This means the only half dozen or so london.gov.uk visitors with any chance of stumbling on the application’s Johnson-era origins are those who visit this blog post and are sufficiently interested that they click on the link strategically placed on the very final line.

If you ask the Mayor’s office directly whether the today’s scheme is the same one as announced in 2013, they admit it is. They just don’t go out their way to ensure everyone realises that’s the case.

Perhaps it’s because Sadiq last month claimed Boris had left behind “a record that is mediocre at best” on clean energy that he felt reluctant to admit that today all he’s doing is announcing the latest regulatory step in a process his predecessor started?

Or maybe he’s just taking a leaf from Boris’s book and like him thinks no-one will remember that we’ve heard it all before?

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

RECENT UPDATES

Half of all London’s pay as you go journeys are now contactless

TfL appoints permanent finance chief while Tube boss passes day to day responsibility for the service to his deputies

Sadiq Khan’s claims about LPG’s “limited” air quality benefits challenged by industry body

In an age of devolution the UK’s arcane Purdah rules simply hinder good government




Popular

Sadiq announces £500,000 in grants to support London’s creative firms and workers

TfL hopes to cash-in with auction of sector-exclusive advertising rights along the Elizabeth line

The protestors are wrong, Sadiq is delivering his clean energy pledges

London’s contactless fares system to power New York’s subway, bus and rail journeys

FEATURED

London’s bus ridership is falling three times faster than the rest of England’s

Soarings costs will damage smaller firms’ ability to support the economy, warns FSB

Business leaders say Mayor should use derelict Green belt land to provide thousands of homes for 999 workers

How Transport for London and Waze are using data sharing to keep London’s traffic moving

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2018 MayorWatch Publications Limited · MayorWatch is Registered Trademark · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Terms of Use

MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816

MayorWatch uses cookies to ensure we give you the best experience on our site. Accept If you continue without changing your browser settings, we'll assume that you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.