There's a simple answer to this; don't vote for a bunch of anti-motorist Lefty nutters like Khan. The fact that TfL is in the shoot financially is entirely down to gross mismanagement. During the lockdown, that complete and utter tool Khan was effectively giving everyone free travel, by still running services but not bothering collecting any fares from the passengers. Plus TfL tolerated massive levels of spurious staff absence without taking any action. Essentially, anyone who fancied a load of paid time off just said they might have the virus, and off they went on full pay no questions asked. Khan also spends a fortune of London taxpayer's money on TfL advertising & PR, much of which is politically slanted towards promoting him, not merely informing the public about relevant things.
What the government should do is take direct control of TfL away from the GLA to prevent Khan mismanaging it, and then get rid of the rest of the GLA and the office of Mayor. Livingstone mismanaged the GLC for political reasons until Thatcher eventually got so pissed off with him, the Authority ended up being abolished, and now due to Khan's emulation of Red Ken's antics it's time to kick him and the GLA into touch too.
Sorry skipdiver, a way over the top response.
First, Khan is not a "lefty nutter" as you put it, quite the opposite - very moderate to put it politely. I consider him to be just a manager in many ways. If your blood gets boiling at the likes of Khan I fear for your blood vessels and health if you encounter anyone with more challenging opinions.
No, TFL is in the shoot because of a global pandemic. I seem to recall that you thought this pandemic a piece of piffle for a long time (god knows where we would all be if we had followed you on that) but you surely must have noticed something amiss of late? Ghost town London for a long time, empty buses, no one in stations, hardly anyone on trains. People told to stay at home.
TFL is a truly massive operation. Have you seen the figures for their normal time weekly fares intake? ** Where do you think all that has gone for the last 6 months of this god given hell?
Yes, for a short period buses were not taking fares. This was simply because of extreme concern about the health of drivers and passengers. It was a very short period.
Advertising TFL and its travel initiatives is not political. There are pretty strict rules about that sort of thing in this country.
Get ride of the GLA and the mayor? I remember the abolition of the GLC - an act of political spite by Thatcher that left London, a major global city, without any local democracy. And saw County Hall, the long-time home of London democracy, (including the earlier London County Council which did much good work - take a look at some of their social housing, now sadly sold off, next time you are cycling around) flogged to a hotel and aquarium outfit. God knows who owns it now. A Japanese investment outfit?
If you personally want to get rid of mayor Khan you can vote against him in an election.
While democracy still exists. Suggest you use it.
I'd get some fresh air skipdiver and ride one of your expertly maintained bikes.
And continue to give us the benefit of your expertise and knowledge in bike matters.
By the by, as part of this short term rescue package it appears that the government tried to abolish free travel for oldsters. The London version of that was introduced by that lefty nutter Boris. The current lefty nutters held firm in the face of the onslaught. Let's hope they can hold on. The pressure on them will surely mount.
** edit
Here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54568920
It says funds down £45 million a week. Please forward your down-home proposals for filling that hole with Thatcher's home economics money saving tips. Re-use tea bags?
The current deal is only for two weeks - in no time at all there is going to be another mega showdown/crisis.