29/01/2014 BBC London News

Good evening. Water cannon could be ready for use

on the streets of London within months if the Home Secretary gives

the go ahead. The Metropolitan Police and Mayor Boris Johnson are

ready to buy, although they accept a water cannon wouldn't be useful in

all riot situations ` for example, at the student protests in central

London last month. Gareth Furby reports.

Could we soon be seeing this on the streets of London? Today, with the

consultation underway, it moved a step closer. One person who might

welcome such a thing is this man, who shop in Clapham Junction was ran

down in the 2011 riots. I think it is a good idea. The situation in

Clapham Junction was not only was there no water cannons, there was no

police. The police deserted the whole area. The rioters ran wild.

Today the mayor left no doubt about his feelings. If it is something the

police believe his operation and this was very, it's difficult to say

no, it not a tool used to have. But compare that to his views in 2010.

We don't have water cannon. We don't have rubber bullets. I would be most

unhappy to see us go that way. Today there were some unhappiness at City

Hall as Assembly members questioned the mayor and the Metropolitan

Police. People are not going to be stopped by lumbering machine moving

at a snail 's pace. This is not a tool to catch breakaway units. This

could be the thin" between crossing the line of `` thin end of the wedge

between crossing the line of policing by consent. Although a

future mayor will be consulted on its use, he or she will not have the

final decision. Of course we speak to the mayor. If he had a different

view, I would want to hear what it was. But I have to make the final

decision. The consultation will continue for four weeks. There will

be a meeting here on the 17th of February. Then it will began to the

Home Secretary to decide whether London gets up to three of these.

Three men who were to stand trial accused of stealing food from a bin

belonging to an Iceland store in north London have had the charges

dropped. The men had allegedly taken vegetables, cheese and Mr Kipling

cakes from the bins behind the supermarket on Kentish Town Road.

The food was all for disposal, but they were still arrested and

charged. Iceland say they hadn't called the police and didn't want

the prosecution to go ahead. Hundreds of thousands of part time

workers could soon benefit from flexible tickets and travel cards.

It'll mean cheaper communing around London for many of those working

less than five days a week and it could come into effect this time

next year. Chris Roger is outside Baker Street tube station tonight to

tell us more. Why should part`time workers pay for a five`day ticket or

a full price season`ticket? That is a question put to Boris Johnson

three years. We can save money on the Oyster card, but in a U`turn the

Met has announced that he plans to bring in a three`day ticket. `` the

mayor. With fares continuing to rise, they went up again in January,

we heard no complaints from commuters today. People tend to go

outside every day anyway. I don't think people tend to stay at home

that much. It may not `` may or may not benefit. Otherwise they will

spend money, half their wages going to their card. I work part`time.

That would be amazing. But, and there is a but, the details of how

this works will be sketchy. There are a few loopholes for the mayor to

get through as one `` as well. People are not celebrating yet. He

has made similar noises in the past. He has said was a good meeting

it is. The reality is he has always ended up saying no. You may have

said the right things now. Now he has got to persuade the officials.

We want to see the product on the run. You are saying you don't trust

him. I don't trust him at all. Let's see delivery. One in five of us work

part`time in London. That is 800,000 people. Rich Johnson announced he

wanted another 20,000 people to get into part`time work. `` Boris

Johnson. That is a lot of eyes on him for the next 12 months.

Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital in Berkshire will soon close its doors

and move to a new, purpose`built facility. The Victorian listed

buildings, which were built in 1863, will be sold off, with the money

used to pay for a new psychiatric hospital which should be ready in

three years' time. Almost 15 million people attended

shows in the West End last year, according to latest figures. The

Society of London Theatre says overall attendances were up by 4% on

the previous year. It's believed to be down to the launch of several

major new musicals and plays including The Book Of Mormon,

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and The Audience.

Now let's go over for the weather forecast. The rain hasn't stopped.

It has barely stopped all day. Will it ever stop? I am afraid there is

still more as we go through the latter part of this week. Some of it

is going to be on the heavy side. As we go through this even in, we still

have a weather warning in place for part of Sussex and Kent. We are

going to see a continuation of the rain we have seen today. Over the

Chilterns, it could turn to sleep as well for a time as temperatures

fall. We shouldn't have much frost as there will be cloud around. It is

going to be another damp start to tomorrow. Some of the showers will

be heavy. Where the show was our heavy, it may not rain all day. ``

the showers. It will still thorny p in the breeds. `` feel nippy in the

breeze. The Met Office has given us another early warning for the rain.

It is only going to add to what we have already had. After that it

tends to dry up a bit. A bit milder. The next rain comes through on

Monday evening. That is its fortnight. From everybody on the BBC

London News team, we hope you have a very good night. `` that is it for

tonight. Hello. The next dose of wet and

windy weather is due to arrive on Friday from the Atlantic. Today we

have had an easterly wind bringing the chill as the threat of icy

patches comes to the north where the cloud breaks. More cloud further

south. Maybe some sleet and