A new opinion poll commissioned by Transport for London shows the capital’s businesses see it as inefficient and bureaucratic while many also believe it is insufficiently transparent.
The Comres poll, highlights of which were released by TfL in a press release claiming private sector support for its latest business plan, shows less than a third (30%) of all firms see TfL as transparent “to a great extent”.
Broken down by sector, TfL’s transparency score is highest with firms in the financial and businesses sector (56%) while just 17% of companies in the transport and logistics sector believe it is fully transparent.
The views of business would appear to tally with the experiences of the London Assembly which last week accused TfL of hindering its statutory scrutiny of the Mayor’s budget by refusing to co-operate with requests for information.
A clear majority of businesses (57%) say the capital’s transport authority, which last year paid its senior management more than £40m, is overly bureaucratic while more than half (56%) also believe it’s inefficient “to some” or “to a great extent”.
Just 40% believe it’s inefficient “to no extent”.
The 69 page poll does contain some good news for TfL, with a clear majority of businesses seeing it as forward looking and honest.
Sixty eight businesses and business membership groups were surveyed for the poll which was conducted between 5 October and 5 November 2012 but withheld for publication to coincide with the TfL board’s consideration of the business plan.
TfL has confirmed the poll cost £8,750.
