Now l have said before that l cannot see why we can’t have both Spurs and West Ham share the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 games in London (similar to Rome). Alas we did not get a joint bid for the stadium so it’s a straight tug of war between the two London clubs.

I was persuaded in favour of one club as a result of my trip as an away fan to the big game yesterday at White Hart Lane.  This experience once again confirmed in my mind that the current Spurs stadium is definately not the easiest ground to get to by public transport, especially after queuing at the station in the rain following a treck down an incredibly busy Seven Sisters road. There are similar issues at Upton Park, however,  not to the same extent, as thankfully, there are more options for leaving the vicinity around the ground.   The issue of sports travel is an area which was examined in a report produced by the London Transport Committee which looked at sports travel in London and in particular ways in which to enhance travel for fans to and from sporting events .

On the other hand, transport links to the Olympic Stadium are excellent, so inevitably, for an away supporter travelling to either of the clubs proposing to move there, travel will be lot easier but the reality at the moment is that only one is likely to remain in the premiership to host top flight games

So, that’s 2 very good reasons why it has to be Tottenham Hotspurs for me to win the bid.  Having said this, I am concerned that the loss of the these grounds in North London will spell the death of the locality, as many like me, who live and work outside of the area have little reason to visit Tottenham without the pull of the Spurs grounds. So, with my London-wide assembly hat firmly on, I would advocate some serious stragetic thinking, because it would indeed be a great shame for a local area and it’s economy to lose out as a result of such a move as it would take many decades to replace the club with anything similar to the scale of presence which it currently commands in the locality.

As for the issue of other uses for the stadium, such as athletics, it’s hard to see how it can ever be filled again as it will be during the 2012 games.  This point was particularly well argued by Paul Hayward in his sports blog in the Observer yesterday.  His piece also highlights the rather more realistic and viable offer by Spurs to revamp Crystal Palace athletics stadium as part of the deal.  Even this long standing iconic venue  struggles to host more than one or two major events annually so it would indeed be non sensical if the Olympic Stadium were to be forced down a similar track.

Another argument which has been mooted against Spurs, are clubs leaving their home turf.  In fact clubs have moved around in London before.  Look at Arsenal which moved from Woolwich to Highbury and Millwall from the Isle of Dogs to Lewisham.  So this is not unheard of.  In fact this is a historic opportunity for a high profile club to make a similar move to a new and what will no doubt be an equally historic venue.

In the event that West Ham are successful in getting the Olympic site, Tottenham Hotspurs, Haringey Council and Transport for London (via the Mayor) will have to take a serious look at the approved plans and improve the transport infrastructure such as the Victoria line.  This will not only benefit away fans like myself but also the tens of thousands of loyal home fans who want to watch their team play without the inevitable stampede which now takes place.  Also not forgetting the many more residents who have to carry on with their daily lives and travel around their local area which must be incredibly difficult during the big games especially.

Murad around town at the weekend

Figures in response to a question which I put to the Mayor just before the christmas break, reveal that the usage of the hire bikes tails off significantly over the weekends in comparison to weekdays ,by almost half.  This trend grew over September, October and November of 2010 and suggests to me we need to be encouraging local residents in central London to use the bikes more over the weekends.   (Not withstanding seasonal considerations, of course)

The highest  concentration of subscribers for the bike hire scheme are in Central London boroughs like the City of Westminster with 13,632 followed by Kensington & Chelsea with 8,537.   The merits of the bike scheme  have already been sold to the young professional (predominently male) commuters, so it is now time to bring on board the more casual weekend user for leisure and moving around the neighbourhood.  A good way of doing this , is by dropping the annual subscription fee which currently stands at £45.00.    There is a fundamental difference between those who select bike travel during the working week as the most expedient mode of travel during the busiest commuter time, and casual weekend users, who can take or leave the scheme because they are less time constrained or because they may choose not to make a particular journey at all.

Following his latest column in the Daily Telegraph, it would appear from a first glance that the Mayor knows his onions.  This appearance is however undermined greatly and is indeed ironic once you realise that he has failed to deliver on his own notion that we ” lasso that rampaging Indian bullock and get some more traction for Britain” .  He has managed this by closing the London offices in both Mumbai & Delhi during his term so far, so its a bit rich for him now to advocate something which he initially rejected as a waste referring to them as “embassies” during the last Mayoral contest.   He then had to be persuaded by London business to maintain them once in office, while quietly closing them down when staff lost their positions.  All this while it’s recently emerged that only 7 per cent of UK exports go to the China, India and Brazil.  These are the economies seen as the locomotive of global growth, illustrating well the foresight of Ken’s regime.

So whilst Boris may know his onions, it would appear that what he doesn’t know, is how to cook them!

Another Boris own goal

Murad Qureshi says that despite getting plenty of feedback on his two previous drafts, the Mayor’s final strategy still will not protect Londoners from unnecessary pollution levels or prevent the UK being fined by the EU for breaching air quality standards.

Murad said: “He abandoned the six monthly inspections of taxis as soon as he became Mayor, did not introduce phase 3 of the Low Emission Zone last month and over Christmas he will get rid of the West London Congestion Zone Extension.  This final air quality strategy will not make up for the regressive steps he has already taken.  We know air quality in London has deteriorated and is London’s biggest public health issue.  The EU is all over us about it.

“It’s taken him two and a half years to realise that his first step on this front – to remove the six monthly inspection of black cabs – was not at all helpful.  Now he’s decided to reinstate some form of six monthly inspections from 2013.  The third phase of the LEZ will be implemented in Jan 2012 rather than in Oct 2010.  At this rate by 2012 we’ll be back to where we were in 2008 but by then it will be too late to avoid being hit by EU fines.

“We need a Mayor to stand up for Londoners, to identify problems and deal with them and to acknowledge that air pollution kills 20 times more than road traffic accidents, although it doesn’t get the same attention.  But as usual with Boris, all we get is charm, bluster and hot air.”

London’s poor air quality kills an estimated 4,000 people in the city each year and the EU have started legal proceedings against the UK because of it, but the Mayor of this fine city thinks it better to pretend there is no problem rather than address it.

Ends.

Notes

Murad Qureshi is a Londonwide Labour Assembly Member and is the Assembly’s Labour Group Environment spokesperson.

The Mayor’s Air Quality strategy can be found here:

http://www.london.gov.uk/publication/mayors-air-quality-strategy

Further information please contact Nikki Salih at 020 7983 4400

Londoners going back to work this week face average fare rises of almost 7 per cent.

A single bus journey cost just 90p when Boris Johnson was elected. In just over two years the price has rocketed to �1.30 – a 44 per cent rise. A monthly zone 1-5 travelcard is up �258 a year and this week a zone 1-2 travel card broke the �100 barrier for the first time – up 14 per cent. 

The rises this week come after the Mayor was criticised in 2009 for imposing the biggest fare rises in Transport for London’s (TfL) history.

Murad Qureshi said: "Yet again the Mayor is showing how out of touch he is and where his priorities lie – sticking up for bankers while imposing huge fare increases on ordinary Londoners and halving the congestion charge zone so fare payers have to pay more." 

"High quality, affordable public transport is essential if people across the city are to contribute to our economy. On top of the government’s record VAT hike, this yet another price rise that already struggling ordinary Londoners just can’t afford."

On Christmas eve the western section of the congestion charge was removed – halving the zone’s size. This will cost TfL between �50m – �70m a year – the same amount as is being raised by the hike in bus fares.

Fares headlines

A single bus journey up 44 per cent between 2008-11

Zone 1-4 travelcard up �249 a year – now �39.80 a week – between 2008-11

Zone 1-6 annual travelcard now costs over �2,016 – up 13 per cent since 2008

A single TfL rail journey in zones 1-4 up 36 per cent since 2008, now �3.40

A peak single journey in zone outside zone 1 up 27.3 per cent since 2008

A monthly zone 1-2 travelcard now over �100 for the first time rising from �93 to �106 (14 per cent) since 2008

A day off-peak zone 1-2 travelcard up to �6.60 (24.5 per cent) between 2008-11

Off-peak single journey across three zones outside zone one up by 40 per cent since 2008 – now �1.40

An annual travelcard has breached �1,000 up from �968 to �1,104 (14 per cent) since 2008

Ends

Notes

The amount raised from increasing bus fares in 2011 is almost identical to the amount that would be raised if the western extension was retained http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=33998 (cash raised through bus fares) http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=23419 (cash lost through scrapping western congestion charge zone) 

A full breakdown of all fares can be found here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/17538.aspx

Londoners going back to work this week face average fare rises of almost 7 per cent.

A single bus journey cost just 90p when Boris Johnson was elected. In just over two years the price has rocketed to £1.30 – a 44 per cent rise. A monthly zone 1-5 travelcard is up £258 a year and this week a zone 1-2 travel card broke the £100 barrier for the first time – up 14 per cent.

The rises this week come after the Mayor was criticised in 2009 for imposing the biggest fare rises in Transport for London’s (TfL) history.

Murad Qureshi said: "Yet again the Mayor is showing how out of touch he is and where his priorities lie – sticking up for bankers while imposing huge fare increases on ordinary Londoners and halving the congestion charge zone so fare payers have to pay more."

"High quality, affordable public transport is essential if people across the city are to contribute to our economy. On top of the government’s record VAT hike, this yet another price rise that already struggling ordinary Londoners just can’t afford."

On Christmas eve the western section of the congestion charge was removed – halving the zone’s size. This will cost TfL between £50m – £70m a year – the same amount as is being raised by the hike in bus fares.

Fares headlines

<dir>

A single bus journey up 44 per cent between 2008-11

Zone 1-4 travelcard up £249 a year – now £39.80 a week – between 2008-11

Zone 1-6 annual travelcard now costs over £2,016 – up 13 per cent since 2008

A single TfL rail journey in zones 1-4 up 36 per cent since 2008, now £3.40

A peak single journey in zone outside zone 1 up 27.3 per cent since 2008

A monthly zone 1-2 travelcard now over £100 for the first time rising from £93 to £106 (14 per cent) since 2008

A day off-peak zone 1-2 travelcard up to £6.60 (24.5 per cent) between 2008-11

Off-peak single journey across three zones outside zone one up by 40 per cent since 2008 – now £1.40

An annual travelcard has breached £1,000 up from £968 to £1,104 (14 per cent) since 2008

</dir>

Ends

Notes

<dir>

The amount raised from increasing bus fares in 2011 is almost identical to the amount that would be raised if the western extension was retained http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=33998 (cash raised through bus fares) http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=23419 (cash lost through scrapping western congestion charge zone)

A full breakdown of all fares can be found here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/17538.aspx

</dir>

For further information please contact Sean Clare, Labour group press officer, on 020 7983 4952 or 07730 575 867

Hugh Muir – The Guardian -7 December 2010.   How do reports that Boris Johnson retaliated against the alleged duplicity of Fifa boss Sepp Blatter by withdrawing an offer to put him up at the Dorchester during the 2012 Olympics square with his publicly expressed position? "What did you offer Fifa President Sepp Blatter to select England for the venue for the World Cup tournament in 2018," he was asked by London assembly member Murad Quershi at City Hall last month. "There has been no offer made to the Fifa president directly," replied the mayor then, sentiments echoed again on Monday yesterday. Hope that’s true. For questions are being asked. Blatter isn’t the only one being accused of trickery.

• As Americans bayed for his blood, WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange remained elusive. But where has he been? We don’t know. Neither did the Times. Still, like good professionals, they pursued the lines of inquiry. And so it was that the Guardian’s Nick Davies, reporter and author of Flat Earth News – the instant classic on newspaper practices – found himself the target for an old-fashioned doorstep operation. The bell rang chez Davies, and on responding to it, our man, who has had extensive dealings with Assange, found a nervous young reporter and a photographer. They were pitiful figures, having battled through the snow to Sussex and having crashed their car into a wall en route. But Assange was not there; hadn’t been for several months. The pair disappeared into the night with everyone’s best wishes, but without their scoop.

• And as culture secretary Jeremy Hunt hears a few home truths from James Naughtie, his colleague, "Voldemort" Lansley, is all energy – dismantling systems, spreading misery as he will. Today’s task: getting rid of Steve Bundred, appointed only in May for a four-year term as chair of Monitor, the foundation hospitals regulator. Officially Bundred can apply for his own job but since the pay is being drastically cut, to do so would signal desperation. Some suggest Voldemort is merely clearing out the "Labour dead wood". Others that despite Cameron’s emollience, the government is proving highly partisan in whom it appoints to the remaining quangos. As for Bundred, his fate would seem sealed. Last week his job was advertised in the national press.

• Not the best day for Radio 4, as Naughtie and Marr come over all DH Lawrence. The World at One, meanwhile, interviews an imposter. He was supposed to be Mike Crockart, Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West, discussing tuition fees. But because of an error in a directory of MPs’ phone numbers, the Beeb and the Evening Standard ended up with "Eric", a prankster working on a building site in Manchester. "At first he thought it was one of the lads having a laugh," said a colleague. "He just went with it. I don’t think he knows what a tuition fee is." Just wait until he has kids.

• Finally, where would American literature be without masturbation, asks the bestselling author Douglas Kennedy, pondering aloud to the Anglo-American Press Association in Paris. Kennedy had in mind Tea Party star Christine O’Donnell’s campaign against such practices. He’s agin it. Literature and self-discovery. They go hand in hand.