27/12/2017 London News

You can see more on today's stories

on the BBC News Channel.

Good evening from BBC London news.

on the BBC News Channel.

I'm Claudia-Liza Armah.

on the BBC News Channel.

With train fares set to rise next

week, a new poll has revealed more

than half of Londoners believe

commuter trains have deteriorated

over the past year -

and that the capital's railway lines

should be taken over

by Transport for London.

The Mayor has said the findings

are a 'damning indictment'

of the failures of rail companies.

Nicola Ford reports.

Strikes.

Delays.

Cancellations.

And, frustration.

2017 has been another difficult year

for people on trains

in and out of London.

And now that has been reflected

in a YouGov poll of 1000 people,

which reveals 37% thought that

National Rail services

had got worse.

Just 8% thought they had improved

and 61% thought that Transport

for London should have greater

control over rail services.

That's an idea strongly supported

by the Mayor of London,

who commissioned the poll.

They are fed up of very poor

and unreliable services.

Overcrowding, poor frequencies and,

of course, rising rail fares.

I think TfL have shown

from their work on the TfL I think

TfL have shown from their work

on the TfL Overground and TfL Rail

that they can run really

excellent and reliable,

frequent services, and of course

maintain the mayor's fare freeze.

The government says that they will

look at transferring services

on smaller lines to the mayor,

but Sadiq Khan would like greater

control over trains run

by South Eastern, South Western,

Southern and Thames Link.

Weary passengers at St Albans

heading back to work this

morning were sceptical.

No, I'm not in favour

of that at all.

I think when larger bodies get

involved, it causes larger

problems, generally.

I prefer the service

to keep improving by those

who are currently running it.

It is difficult to say.

To say whether or not it

would make a difference,

it would just be a new owner doing

the same thing.

Theoretically, I mean if it

would put St Albans on the Oyster,

it would be amazingly helpful

because it is so close

to London anyway.

And rail passenger groups think that

TfL are well-placed to take over.

There is evidence from other cities,

like in Liverpool, where Mersey

where Mersey Travel took over

the local suburban services there,

and services have improved.

We think that combination of local

knowledge and local accountability,

and better connections with the rest

of the London transport network,

make for a really good service.

The government say they are

investing record amounts

in the railways and decisions

on devolution are based

on what would make journeys

better for passengers.

Judging by the poll today,

those passengers certainly think

there's room for improvement.

A man who was jailed for throwing

acid across a nightclub has admitted

hiding a mobile phone

inside the crutches

he was using while in prison.

Arthur Collins hid the phone,

two sim cards and two USB sticks

while awaiting his trail

at Thameside Prison.

The ex-boyfriend of reality TV-star

Ferne McCann was jailed for 20 years

over the acid attack that happened

at an east London club in April.

Several flights out

of the capital's airports

were cancelled or delayed today -

after London and the Home Counties

were hit by flurries of snow.

Sleet and ice also made for

dangerous conditions on the roads.

The heaviest snowfall

was in Buckinghamshire

and Hertfordshire, Caroline Davies

was there and sent this report.

It might look like a Christmas card,

but conditions today

were far from idyllic.

Torrential rain overnight turned

to snow by this morning,

making roads slippy

and occasionally treacherous.

This car came off the road in Essex,

another turned on its side

in South Buckinghamshire.

The RAC said its calls were up

between 15-20% in south London,

Hertfordshire and Kent.

Airports were affected

as well, Stansted was shut.

When it did open, flights

were cancelled and delayed.

Luton had problems too, reducing

the number of flights landing.

The heaviest snow around London

was in Buckinghamshire

and Hertfordshire, although much

of it turned to slush.

Here in Hertfordshire the snow may

not have stuck around for the entire

day but the effects of it did.

In Aldbury, the Greyhound Inn lost

business after customers

were not keen to drive.

We've had about 50 people

cancelled this morning.

Three rooms cancelled as well.

It's a slow day, we do lose

quite a lot, especially

during the holidays.

In Hertfordshire, 600 tonnes of salt

was used, with gritters out

across the Home Counties and London

this afternoon trying to keep

the roads safe as slush

turns to ice overnight.

Caroline Davies, BBC London News.

So, will that ice still be

causing problems tomorrow?

Lots of weather watcher pictures

coming in of the snow we saw

earlier. Some places saw

coming in of the snow we saw

earlier. Some places saw a good few

centimetres. For many others, these

no fleeting. It turned quickly back

to rain. Snow would be a major

hazard overnight tonight. Instead

everything that fell out of the sky,

will refreeze on the roads and

pavements so ice will be a major

issue tomorrow morning. Particularly

on untreated surfaces. A Met Office

weather warning out. Tomorrow

promises to be quite pleasant, the

weather nicer than today. Sparkling

winter sunshine around, blue skies

for the most. A lighter

north-westerly breeze and top

temperatures between three and six

Celsius. Still feeling cold. Another

frost on Thursday night into Friday.

On Friday the air turns Miles,

further outbreaks of rain and quite

windy. It promises to be a mild end

to the year. That's it from me.

We're back with morning updates

during the breakfast programme

tomorrow. Until then, have yourself

a very good. Goodbye.