Green Party Says It Could Save London Households £1,500

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 145 months ago
Green Party Says It Could Save London Households £1,500

London Greens have launched a series of policies that they calculate would save London households around £1,500 over the next four years.

Mayoral candidate Jenny Jones and fellow Assembly member Darren Johnson launched the plans outside City Hall last week – though not without hitches, as a More London official stopped them taking photos while someone nipped back to their offices to collect forgotten security passes (photo from @Mayorwatch). Yes, even our elected representatives need permission to use the space outside City Hall.

The Greens say savings would come from these areas:

  • Public transport fare cuts funded by revenue from a Pay As You Drive scheme (which we looked at last week)
  • Extending RE:NEW home efficiency refurbishments to cut energy bills
  • Lower rents through more social and co-operative housing, and more rights for private tenants would keep rent rises closer to CPI
  • More street markets to lower food costs
  • Extension of the London Living Wage, increasing incomes for low earners from £6.08 an hour to £8.30

Jones said:

In the Green vision for London, the capital would become a more affordable place to live, work, travel and relax.

Of course there are caveats to that. You'll obviously save far less if you own your home and drive, but if you're in such a position you're arguably less likely to need the extra (average) £375 a year; low income earners would receive more than the average, but then again an increase in wages could benefit local businesses as the money gets spent. This plan is clearly about making London a more equitable place, is that a goal we can argue with?

Last Updated 26 February 2012