Labour Mayor slammed over trees

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 4th Sep 2003

Southwark Liberal Democrats have slammed London Mayor Ken Livingstone over a decision not to fund trees along roads he is responsible for.

Mr Livingstone, who is visiting Southwark this afternoon to plant a tree in Southwark Park, and Transport for London agreed £19,000 worth of trees along the borough's roads that it is responsible for maintaining.

The trees are part of a £100,000 tree-planting programme by the Liberal Democrat council to make the borough cleaner and greener. The Council offered to plant trees along TfL roads where there were empty pits if TfL provided the trees, but Transport for London refused.

Southwark Council then offered to provide the trees, if Transport for London reimbursed the Council. But this week, Transport for London told Southwark Council that it must pay for both the trees and planting themselves due to funding cutbacks. TfL has even had to be pushed to maintain the trees in future years.

Southwark Council's Deputy Leader, Caroline Pidgeon, said:

"The very week that the Mayor is visiting Southwark to plant a tree, it is ironic that Transport for London that he is in charge of, is refusing to fund tree planting in Southwark on its own roads.

"The Council has now been left to pick up the tab while the Mayor tries to pick up publicity in the park in the run-up to the Mayoral elections next year.

"While he seems happy to pose for a photo opportunity in Southwark with one tree to show how 'green' he is, it seems he is less happy to put his hand in his pocket to put more trees on Southwark's streets."