Mayor of London Boris Johnson said he will meet with commuters furious about the closure of Wanstead tube station if requested (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said he will meet with commuters furious about the closure of Wanstead tube station if requested

2:32pm Monday 6th July 2009 in

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BORIS Johnson has promised to meet with frustrated commuters to explain the 10-week closure of Wanstead Underground Station.

The Mayor of London told a meeting of the Greater London Assembly that he had "every confidence" in the alternatives put in place by Transport for London (TfL) during the shut down, but pledged to listen to the concerns of passengers affected.

Wanstead tube station closed last month to allow TfL to carry out large-scale refurbishment and improvement work, including structural repairs, a new security system and information points.

However concerns have been raised that TfL may not hit their vague deadline of "late August 2009" for the re-opening, while many shopkeepers have expressed fears that the closure will affect their businesses.

Roger Evans, the Conservative Greater London Assembly member for Havering and Redbridge, told the same meeting he was concerned about TfL's advice to residents to use the nearby station in Snaresbrook during the closure.

In reply, Mr Johnson said: "If there is something I can help you with, if you want me to meet some aggrieved commuters then obviously that is my duty and I will."