Long-running London Transit Commission dissolved amid leadership concerns

Isha Bhargava · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 25, 2025 10:39 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

London metropolis councillors are saying goodbye to a longstanding committee that has overseen London's nationalist transit system for decades, citing enactment concerns. 

In a ballot astatine metropolis hallway Tuesday, the Strategic Priorities and Policy committee (SPPC), which includes each members of council, voted 9-6 successful favour of eliminating the London Transit Commission (LTC).

Instead, they agreed to temporarily enactment 5 of their ain successful complaint of the committee that oversees the city's autobus strategy until a semipermanent program is finalized.

The determination comes aft 3 committee members abruptly discontinue yesterday, taking the seat of the committee by surprise.

Councillors Corrine Rahman, Shawn Lewis, David Ferreira and Elizabeth Peloza wrote an unfastened missive Monday asking for the transit committee to beryllium replaced by 3 metropolis politicians who would oversee the transit authorization portion a governance reappraisal is underway. 

"Concerns person been raised by assembly and the public: around accessibility issues, ridership experiences, way extensions into caller developments, maturation hours, accelerated transit implementation and assembly directions," the 4 wrote successful the letter. 

After a lengthy debate, the councillor's connection was accepted. The committee appointed five, not 3 councillors arsenic initially suggested, to regenerate the commission.

Councillors volition beryllium capable to unpaid for the presumption at next week's afloat assembly meeting. 

The London Transportation Commission, arsenic it was archetypal known, was formed successful 1951 erstwhile the City of London bought the nationalist transit service. The existent CEO, Kelly Paleczny, has led the LTC since 2014. She declined to remark Tuesday. 

The LTC has seen decreasing ridership numbers, and complaints from radical with disabilities who can't trust connected the accessible service. It's besides successful request of large repairs and caller buses to support up the fleet.

Chair Stephanie Marentette spoke to council on Tuesday, urging them not to get escaped of the committee arsenic she believes the organization's narration with the metropolis tin beryllium repaired. 

Marentette proposed councillors capable the 3 vacant seats and fto the remaining 4 commissioners enactment connected the committee alternatively of dissolving the full LTC.  

Some councillors tried to hold the ballot to the adjacent SPPC gathering connected April 10 due to the fact that they said they didn't person each the accusation astatine manus and wanted much clip earlier making the large decision. But others, including Mayor Josh Morgan urged that the concern needs to beryllium dealt with immediately.

The commission's remaining 4 members are:

• Chair Stephanie Marenttette
• Vice-chair Scott Collyer
• Commissioner Sheryl Rooth
• Commissioner and Coun. Jerry Pribil

The 3 members of the committee who resigned are Coun. David Ferreira, accessibility advocator Jacqueline Madden and David Little.