04/11/2017 London News

There's more throughout the evening

on the BBC News Channel,

for the news where you are.

Goodbye.

Good evening, I'm Asad Ahmad.

Nearly 90 years after an extension

to the Bakerloo Tube Line

was first talked about,

local people and businesses

on the Old Kent Road -

are angry that they're

still being left out

of current plans.

Several new stations

are to be built, but there's

NOT one serving THEM -

and it's drawn criticism

of a north-south divide

of how London is served.

Here's Sarah Harris.

It's for this generation campaigners

gathered today and want to see more

Tube stations south of the river.

They say this part of the capital

should not be overlooked

when the Bakerloo line is extended.

South London is a poor

relation when it comes

to Tube stations in London.

Over 250 in the north

and only 29 in the south.

And virtually none

in the south-east.

So it is really important that

as the Bakerloo line gets extended,

we have more stations

to serve local communities.

London's Tube trains

are second to none.

But London transport

engineers are always

on the lookout for improvements...

The Bakerloo line is over 100 years

old and extending it further

was first mentioned back in 1931.

The plans now for at least four

new stations between Elephant

and Castle and Lewisham

and the bricklayers roundabout

is earmarked for a £70

million ventilation shaft.

Restaurant owner Suhail Ahmed says

the opportunity should not be

missed to breathe new life

into a dying area.

We feel we have been neglected.

Our area has become a no man's land.

There's all these other

stations surrounding us.

Starting from Elephant

and Castle and Borough.

And London Bridge and Bermondsey.

And we are kind of in

like a blind spot.

So when we asked people to come

here we have to give them

a million and one directions.

TfL said in a statement

that they had rejected the idea

of putting a Tube station

here because of the lack

of construction land but they said

because of public demand

they were now to

reconsider the decision.

A 29-year-old man has

appeared in court accused

of attempting to murder a man -

by pushing him into the path

of a tube train on the westbound

District Line.

A man in his 50s was seriously

injured at Bayswater Underground

Station on Thursday.

The driver managed to apply

the brakes, but the commuter fell

completely under the train.

Alan Alencar didn't enter a plea.

Tonight, businesses in Hackney

which sell alcohol can

expect to be busy -

because of course - it's Saturday.

But as of a few days ago -

they've had to start paying an extra

levy to the council.

It's been imposed to help monitor -

and deal with anti-social behaviour

- but not everyone's happy about it,

as Paul Murphy-Kasp

has been finding out.

William runs one of the many

businesses in Hackney that sell

alcohol late into the night.

Earlier this week the council

introduced a late night levy meaning

they will pay more on top

of their drinks licence.

The levy, I don't think

is the worst thing in the world.

I mean, I think everyone

should contribute.

There is a potential that these

changes with the local authority

legislation will eventually drive

small, smaller, you know,

smaller yet prosperous businesses

like ours out of the borough.

And potentially others as well.

William's story is not uncommon,

other establishments have also

raised concerns but Hackney Council

said they have not taken

the decision lightly.

The levy is to actually

bring more customers

to businesses in our borough.

If we get this right and there's no

reason why we shouldn't,

businesses and the council working

in partnership can actually make

a great place even better.

Around 400 bars, pubs

and restaurants are now paying

anything from £300 to £4500 a year

on top of their normal licence.

But Hackney is not the only

London Borough to bring in the tax.

Since its introduction in Islington

incidents of both violent

and alcohol-related crime

have come down.

But even with encouraging results,

others said that the late-night levy

is not the way forward.

We prefer to promote those schemes

that have residents associations

and businesses and local councils

and all local stakeholders alongside

each other as opposed

to a late-night levy

which simply takes money away.

While a House of Lords committee

recommended the levy be abolished,

Hackney won't be the last London

birth to bring it in.

It comes to Tower Hamlets

on New Year's Day.

A look at the weather.

And after a dry night tonight,

tomorrow will start

bright for many of us.

There will be the odd passing shower

around until the afternoon.

Feeling cool at 11 Celsius.

That's it for now.

There's more on our Facebook

page and our website.

And I'll be back tomorrow.

Have a very good Saturday night.