A NEW “dark age” will hit London’s transport network if the government imposes more “politically motivated austerity,” unions warned today.

As negotiations closed between ministers and City Hall on funding for Transport for London (TfL), RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Rumours abound of a deal based on either cuts today or another temporary package with cuts imposed later in the year.

“Either way, we seem to be set to go back to the dark age of London Transport when the network was starved of funds for political reasons.

“RMT will fight these cuts from whichever quarter they come and with every tool available for us and we urge Londoners to join this struggle because everyone will feel the effects of this attack.”

Finn Brennan, London Underground organiser of train drivers’ union Aslef, said that TfL workers had shown “enormous courage, determination and resilience in keeping services running during the pandemic” and would “demonstrate those qualities again if they have to fight to protect their pensions, wages and working conditions.”

London Chamber of Commerce chief executive Richard Burge also warned that “false economy service cuts [and] politics, including the ‘levelling-up’ narrative, cannot get in the way of striking the right deal for London and the UK.”

A spokesman for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “A long-term funding deal for TfL is essential for London and the rest of the country as the capital is the driving force of the UK economy.”

The Department for Transport said: “The government has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to supporting London’s transport network, providing more than £3 billion in emergency funding support arrangements since the start of the pandemic.

“We continue to discuss further funding requirements with TfL and the mayor and any deal will focus on moving TfL onto a more financially sustainable footing, ensuring fairness and value for money for the taxpayer.”