Hi Everyone,

Good news is that we are getting closer to the 35K mark for signatures, but obviously "more is more", and we want to "blow the doors off" that target!!  It strikes me as strange that I still speak to people and they are unaware that tolls will come into force next year - that should not be the case if this topic was bombarded on people to get involved in the "consultation".  If you ever want to hide something in plain sight very well, this is how you should do it (if anyone ever wants to run for Mayor) !!

I have met with a London Assembly member on Friday and it has given me further ideas on how to gain more exposure for the petiton and ultimatlely, make the decision makers more accountable! 

And, in case you did not see me on BBC London News back in October, here is the link to that interview.  I am a very shy person, so this took a lot of persuasion for me to do this interview!:

https://youtu.be/F5MbCwU0kxU?feature=sharedb

For Kent dwellers, you may not be aware, but Greg Clarke (MP for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells: greg.clark.mp@parliament.uk), is on the board of TfL, so he will be accutely aware of the reasoning why people from Kent will have to pay a higher toll rate a peak times going into London through the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnels in the morning and evening than people going in the opposite direction.  Maybe Greg Clarke will be able to tell you why he agrees or why he disputes what TfL is doing. 

If you would like to see the list of people on the board of TfL, click on this link:  https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/corporate-governance/board-members

So, the last time I updated you on the list of MPs that you should demand that this item is raised at Prime Minister's Questions, I, for my sins, trusted ChatGPT to find the information (word to the wise, tell your kids to stop trusting ChatGPT for their homework, because AI is definitely not accurate and they will be in trouble!!).  I've spent hours today gathering a list of accurate MPs and constituencies for North East London, East London and North to Mid Kent.  I do wish I had a researcher to help me!

Next, here is (an updated and more accurate) a list of MPs that you might like to email - and if you do so, please quote your postcode first on the email, otherwise, they may not advocate on your behalf.  Please ask them for the petiton to be raised at Prime Minister's Questions as soon as possible:

South East London Parliamentary Constituencies:

    Bermondsey and Old Southwark
        MP: Neil Coyle
        Party: Labour
        Email: neil.coyle.mp@parliament.uk

    Camberwell and Peckham
        MP: Harriet Harman
        Party: Labour
        Email: harriet.harman.mp@parliament.uk

    Eltham
        MP: Clive Efford
        Party: Labour
        Email: clive@cliveefford.org.uk

    Greenwich and Woolwich
        MP: Matthew Pennycook
        Party: Labour
        Email: matthew.pennycook.mp@parliament.uk

    Lewisham Deptford
        MP: Vicky Foxcroft
        Party: Labour
        Email: vicky.foxcroft.mp@parliament.uk

    Lewisham East
        MP: Janet Daby
        Party: Labour
        Email: janet.daby.mp@parliament.uk

    Lewisham West and Penge
        MP: Ellie Reeves
        Party: Labour
        Email: ellie.reeves.mp@parliament.uk

    Old Bexley and Sidcup
        MP: Louie French
        Party: Conservative
        Email: louie.french.mp@parliament.uk

    Erith and Thamesmead
        MP: Abena Oppong-Asare
        Party: Labour
        Email: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk
      
    Bexleyheath and Crayford
        MP: David Evennett
        Party: Conservative
        Email: david.evennett.mp@parliament.uk
     
    Orpington
        MP: Gareth Bacon
        Party: Conservative
        Email: gareth.bacon.mp@parliament.uk
        

North to Mid Kent Parliamentary Constituencies:

    Dartford
        MP: Gareth Johnson
        Party: Conservative
        Email: gareth.johnson.mp@parliament.uk

    Gravesham
        MP: Adam Holloway
        Party: Conservative
        Email: adam.holloway.mp@parliament.uk

    Rochester and Strood
        MP: Kelly Tolhurst
        Party: Conservative
        Email: kelly.tolhurst.mp@parliament.uk

    Chatham and Aylesford
        MP: Tracey Crouch
        Party: Conservative
        Email: tracey.crouch.mp@parliament.uk

    Sittingbourne and Sheppey
        MP: Gordon Henderson
        Party: Conservative
        Email: gordon.henderson.mp@parliament.uk

    Faversham and Mid Kent
        MP: Helen Whately
        Party: Conservative
        Email: helen.whately.mp@parliament.uk

    Maidstone and The Weald
        MP: Helen Grant
        Party: Conservative
        Email: helen.grant.mp@parliament.uk

    Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells
        MP: Greg Clark
        Party: Conservative
        Email: greg.clark.mp@parliament.uk

    Sevenoaks
        MP: Laura Trott
        Party: Conservative
        Email: laura.trott.mp@parliament.uk

East and North East London Parliamentary Constituencies:

    Hackney North and Stoke Newington
        MP: Diane Abbott
        Party: Labour
        Email: diane.abbott.mp@parliament.uk

    Hackney South and Shoreditch
        MP: Meg Hillier
        Party: Labour
        Email: meg.hillier.mp@parliament.uk

    Bethnal Green and Bow
        MP: Rushanara Ali
        Party: Labour
        Email: rushanara.ali.mp@parliament.uk

    Tower Hamlets
        MP: Apsana Begum
        Party: Labour
        Email: apsana.begum.mp@parliament.uk

    Poplar and Limehouse
        MP: Jim Fitzpatrick
        Party: Labour
        Email: jim.fitzpatrick.mp@parliament.uk

    London Fields (Hackney)
        MP: Alan Brown
        Party: Labour
        Email: alan.brown.mp@parliament.uk

    Walthamstow
        MP: Stella Creasy
        Party: Labour
        Email: stella.creasy.mp@parliament.uk

    Leyton and Wanstead
        MP: John Cryer
        Party: Labour
        Email: john.cryer.mp@parliament.uk

    Ilford North
        MP: Wes Streeting
        Party: Labour
        Email: wes.streeting.mp@parliament.uk

    Ilford South
        MP: Sam Tarry
        Party: Labour
        Email: sam.tarry.mp@parliament.uk

    Romford
        MP: Andrew Rosindell
        Party: Conservative
        Email: andrew.rosindell.mp@parliament.uk

    Hornchurch and Upminster
        MP: Julia Lopez
        Party: Conservative
        Email: julia.lopez.mp@parliament.uk

    Chingford and Woodford Green
        MP: Iain Duncan Smith
        Party: Conservative
        Email: iain.duncansmith.mp@parliament.uk

    Enfield North
        MP: Feryal Clark
        Party: Labour
        Email: feryal.clark.mp@parliament.uk

    Enfield Southgate
        MP: Bambos Charalambous
        Party: Labour
        Email: bambos.charalambous.mp@parliament.uk

    Enfield West
        MP: Nick de Bois
        Party: Conservative
        Email: nick.debois.mp@parliament.uk

    Havering and Redbridge
        MP: Julia Lopez
        Party: Conservative
        Email: julia.lopez.mp@parliament.uk
        
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Petition Background (to be included in the Petition language):
 
When TfL announced the proposed tolls and the opening of the consultation period on the 10th July, I was incensed by the timing of the announcement, as it appears this was seemingly delayed until after the General Election.  The economic analysis to calculate the toll values, the duration of peak hours and the significance of the southbound versus northbound weightings could not have been withheld from the public over the Mayoral and General elections.  
 
The announcement of tolls seems to have come as a shock to most petition respondents because the scale of economic impact to ordinary commuters was not widely understood during the development of the Silvertown tunnel.  For most people, the establishment of a toll on the Blackwall Tunnel was unacceptable, given that it has held a free usage status in the modern era. 
 
One comment left by a commuter particularly stood out:
“I work in a secondary school just north of the Black wall tunnel. The proposed charge for going through the tunnel is ridiculously high and unaffordable to me who does not earn a big salary.  It is likely I will have to resign my position and seek employment closer to home in Bromley.”  Barry Phillips, Bromley.
 
Proposals for Sadiq Khan:
 
East versus West London divide: There is a serious issue of geographic inequality for commuters crossing the Thames every day.  Most East Londoners are dissatisfied with the tolling of their major tunnel crossings. Why would a Labour Mayor not wish to make the crossing of the Thames equal for all?  If tolls will be applied to East London, the make every bridge journey across the Thames also subject to tolls.
 
Value for money and Pollution: With no infrastructure improvements in the direction of travel once the tunnels are exited. Does the new tunnel merely move the eventual traffic jams to a different position on the road network rather than creating a panacea?  What will be the impact to the new areas effected by traffic congestions 
 
General Thames cross infrastructure spending: Given that the closure of Hammersmith bridge is now over 5 years and the funds to conduct repairs are nowhere to be found, is this not a sorry state of the  Mayor’s TfL finances?  Various London Mayors have not ringfenced budgets for infrastructure aimed at improvements and major restorations.  Wouldn’t it make more sense to manage river infrastructure within a central budget rather than on a case-by-case basis?  Had the topic of Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels tolls been brought up at the appropriate time in advance of the Mayor Election, people would have been given more transparency and made the vote more meaningful.  
 
ULEZ Transparency:  The implementation of ULEZ has left Londoners very distrustful of the Mayoral policy.  Many people are concerned about analysis of feedback provided during consultations and the transparency of decision making.  To that end, and to provide complete transparency for this consultation process, can we see a fully audited report (by an independent firm) on the actual comments and feedback received during the online consultation process, as well as the emails that were used as a method of delivering feedback?  Can this be published to all Londoners?