:00:00. > :00:20.That's all from us. Now, time for the news where you are.
:00:21. > :00:25.Good evening from BBC London News, I'm Asad Ahmad.
:00:26. > :00:28.The first in`depth research of its kind into the Governments "flagship"
:00:29. > :00:34.free schools shows that although many are opening in disadvantaged
:00:35. > :00:39.report found that generally better`off pupils are attending the
:00:40. > :00:41.schools, rather than going to otherones nearby. It means fewer
:00:42. > :00:44.pupils at free school receive free school`meals ` which is a key
:00:45. > :00:49.measure of poverty. Here's our Education reporter, Marc Ashdown.
:00:50. > :00:53.They were set up to cater for a growing shortage of school places
:00:54. > :00:56.but free schools were also supposed to help poorer children. Three years
:00:57. > :00:58.after the first openings, this study suggests so far, they're failing.
:00:59. > :01:01.Free school meals are the kdy indicator of poverty. This report
:01:02. > :01:04.found that primary level free schools, 13.5% of pupils ard
:01:05. > :01:07.eligible, compared to 18.3% of pupils at neighbouring schools. At
:01:08. > :01:11.secondary level, it's a simhlar story with 17.5% of pupils at free
:01:12. > :01:17.schools eligible, while at other nearby schools, it is 22.1%. It
:01:18. > :01:21.seems even if schools are opening in poorer areas, pushy, better`off
:01:22. > :01:25.parents are still getting the upper hand. This is disappointing because
:01:26. > :01:30.they were really at the centre of the Government's social justice
:01:31. > :01:34.strategy. The idea was that these new schools would open up, in the
:01:35. > :01:37.more socially disadvantaged areas and bring on those children who they
:01:38. > :01:43.said had not had the advant`ges before hand. London has a pretty
:01:44. > :01:48.unique problem in that areas of extreme poverty often sit side
:01:49. > :01:50.`by`side with wealthy areas, like here in Haringey, one of
:01:51. > :01:56.poorest boroughs. In a fairly small area you can buy property
:01:57. > :01:59.for as little as ?70,000, or as much as ?4.3 million. Even so, teaching
:02:00. > :02:04.unions say this is evidence that free schools are pretty much
:02:05. > :02:08.cherry`picking better`off pupils. I think the programme
:02:09. > :02:14.should be abandoned. This Government has spent over ?1 billion on this
:02:15. > :02:17.programme. It's not fulfillhng its main aim ` providing schools for the
:02:18. > :02:20.most disadvantaged and most deprived pupils. And whilst it's not doing
:02:21. > :02:24.that, it's taking money awax from the other schools in the area which
:02:25. > :02:28.are educating those pupils. What we know from the hundreds of groups we
:02:29. > :02:31.work with, is that people h`ve chosen to go into these areas
:02:32. > :02:37.because they want to help the most deprived. I think as these schools
:02:38. > :02:40.become part of the established educational landscape, you will see
:02:41. > :02:43.them serving families from dvery type of background. 30 more free
:02:44. > :02:45.schools are stated to open in London next month. Their intakes
:02:46. > :02:58.A Metropolitan Police officdr who assaulted a mentally ill man in
:02:59. > :03:01.custody and punched a taxi driver in the face has been spared jail.
:03:02. > :03:05.Sergeant Charles Pilbeam ` seen here on the right ` was given a two year
:03:06. > :03:09.suspended sentence at St Albans Magistrates' Court, and told that he
:03:10. > :03:13.was extremely lucky not to be going to prison.
:03:14. > :03:17.The latest smah and grab raid to take place in London happenhng this
:03:18. > :03:20.morning on Sloane Street. A group of thieves on mopeds have stoldn
:03:21. > :03:25.and grab raid at a designer store on Sloane Street.
:03:26. > :03:29.The riders used one of their three mopeds to smash open the front door
:03:30. > :03:31.of Valentino. Police have recovered a scooter in Ladbroke Grove but
:03:32. > :03:34.couldn't find the stolen itdms. One man has been charged over the
:03:35. > :03:40.CrossRail, which will link Essex to Berkshire could be extended to serve
:03:41. > :03:44.hearted Fordshire. The Transport Secretary is looking at the
:03:45. > :03:47.possibility which will conndct stations like Hemel Hempstead
:03:48. > :03:49.possibility which will connect stations like Hemel Hempste`d and
:03:50. > :03:56.Watford junction to the West End. Karl Mercer has been to look at the
:03:57. > :04:00.work that has been done. The Transport Secretary is, of course, a
:04:01. > :04:06.form erminer. And in his latest job he has seen
:04:07. > :04:08.plenty of this sort of action under the streets of London. Todax
:04:09. > :04:08.plenty of this sort of action under the streets of London. Today he was
:04:09. > :04:13.the streets of London. Todax he was meeting apprentices working on what
:04:14. > :04:16.will one day be the new CrossRail station at Farringdon. In about
:04:17. > :04:20.three`and`a`half years time, passengers will be coming down
:04:21. > :04:21.escalator, on to the concourse and out on to the platforms. Evdn
:04:22. > :04:24.out on to the platforms. Even though, it is not complete, the
:04:25. > :04:30.Government is already talking about a new addition to CrossRail. The ?6
:04:31. > :04:35.billion's idea wouldling up Hertfordshire with a big new station
:04:36. > :04:39.at Old Oak Common in west London, on the CrossRail route, meaning quicker
:04:40. > :04:41.journey times for people in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Tring. I
:04:42. > :04:41.journey times for people in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Tring. H this
:04:42. > :04:43.journey times for people in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Tring. I this I
:04:44. > :04:47.it is important that we look at maximising the benefits, whhch is
:04:48. > :04:49.why I have commissioned a study to look at Hertfordshire and to look at
:04:50. > :04:52.the way it may be able to sdrve the way it may be able to sdrve
:04:53. > :04:53.other areas, as well as other the way it may be able to serve
:04:54. > :04:56.other areas, as well as othdr areas other areas, as well as othdr areas
:04:57. > :04:59.that it is Des nated to serve at the moment. I think it is proper that we
:05:00. > :05:01.look how commuters are servdd moment. I think it is proper that we
:05:02. > :05:02.look how commuters are served across look how commuters are served across
:05:03. > :05:06.greater part of London and outside London as we can. Looking to drum up
:05:07. > :05:10.trade in Hemel today was butcher, John Graham, the market and the
:05:11. > :05:14.town, he says, could do with a boost of better travel links. I think it
:05:15. > :05:16.is a good idea. If you work in London, then it would reducd
:05:17. > :05:16.is a good idea. If you work in London, then it would reduce the
:05:17. > :05:20.London, then it would reducd the time of travel, it will be good for
:05:21. > :05:21.everyone, really. And there will be more people moving here. Whhch
:05:22. > :05:21.everyone, really. And there will be more people moving here. Which would
:05:22. > :05:24.make the town a bit busier `t the make the town a bit busier at the
:05:25. > :05:25.weekends and stuff. John max make the town a bit busier `t the
:05:26. > :05:29.weekends and stuff. John may be keen, others were worried a busy
:05:30. > :05:32.town would not necessarily be a Best town. The area will attract more
:05:33. > :05:35.people but if more people come, they need to build more houses. It
:05:36. > :05:37.people but if more people come, they need to build more houses. Ht is
:05:38. > :05:41.much`needed. You know the jobs are kind of like dying here, and not
:05:42. > :05:42.many people about. There is some way to go before any plan becomds
:05:43. > :05:46.to go before any plan becomes reality and the mayor continues to
:05:47. > :05:47.lobby for his addition to these tunnels. His CrossRail 2 plan
:05:48. > :05:48.lobby for his addition to these tunnels. His CrossRail 2 pl`n to
:05:49. > :05:51.tunnels. His CrossRail 2 plan to link south`west to north`east
:05:52. > :06:03.London. Today, perhaps a new rival line has been thrown into the mix.
:06:04. > :06:09.Sir Bradley Wiggins will become the first Tour de France winner to take
:06:10. > :06:12.place in this weekend's Ride London cycling event. It'll see hil race on
:06:13. > :06:17.cycling event. It'll see him race on the roads where he won Olympic gold
:06:18. > :06:22.in 2012. Now the weather from Louise. Another
:06:23. > :06:26.lovely day today. But I hear it is all going to chavenlingt.
:06:27. > :06:30.Yes, but if you have a parched looking garden you will be happy. We
:06:31. > :06:31.are desperate for rain in the south`east. We will see some over
:06:32. > :06:35.south`east. We will see somd over the next couple of days. Look, we
:06:36. > :06:39.have a weather warning for tomorrow. Longer spells of rain with sharp
:06:40. > :06:41.showers chiefly to the east of London it has to be said. Bdfore I
:06:42. > :06:44.London it has to be said. Before I get on to, that through the night,
:06:45. > :06:48.tonight t relatively quiet overnight. A few isolated showers
:06:49. > :06:55.easing away. Another sticky one perhaps in central London. Overnight
:06:56. > :06:57.lows of 17 or 18. Perhaps up into parts of Hertfordshire and
:06:58. > :07:01.Buckinghamshire. Lows of 146789 it'll start off quiet. Not for long.
:07:02. > :07:05.Potential for heavy pulses of rain to move up across parts of Kent,
:07:06. > :07:08.moving through Essex and to the north of London as well. Not
:07:09. > :07:12.everywhere will see these sharp showers. Some possibly turning
:07:13. > :07:17.thundery into the afternoon. If you keep the sunshine you again keep the
:07:18. > :07:20.warmth of with highs of 24, and 75 Fahrenheit. Some showers cotld be
:07:21. > :07:25.intense, and hopefully welcome news for the gardens. Now, it looks as
:07:26. > :07:29.though we will see a dry, pleasant start to the weekend, a good deal of
:07:30. > :07:33.dry weather around but this little fellow, I'm sure you have hdard
:07:34. > :07:34.about it, the remnants of ex`hurricane Bertha which whll
:07:35. > :07:34.about it, the remnants of ex`hurricane Bertha which will bring
:07:35. > :07:36.ex`hurricane Bertha which whll bring the potential for intense rain. More
:07:37. > :07:40.details on the potential for intense rain. More
:07:41. > :07:42.details on that with the national forecast with Jay.