Norris pledges to make Tube safe for women

Steve Norris, the Tory candidate to be London Mayor, has pledged to make women feel safer on the Underground by having guards in the middle of a "safe carriage" on every Tube train after 10pm.

Steve Norris, the Tory candidate to be London Mayor, has pledged to make women feel safer on the Underground by having guards in the middle of a "safe carriage" on every Tube train after 10pm.

Launching his manifesto yesterday, the former transport minister also promised extra transport police to patrol platforms, as research for the Department of Transport found that 60 per cent of women feel unsafe using the Tube at night, compared to 32 per cent of men.

"It's totally unacceptable to have almost two thirds [of women] afraid to use the Tube," he said. "When the evidence shows women feel so at risk, it is time for the Mayor to act."

Mr Norris, who is running second to Ken Livingstone in opinion polls, pledged a blitz on graffiti, to spend three days a week tackling crime, a "zero tolerance", New-York style approach under which police would be put on streets where crime is taking place, and a £20m plan for an extra 250 youth and sports centres. He would also scrap the congestion charge and Mr Livingstone's 50 per cent "affordable homes" target, and refuse permission for high-density housing.