LONDON mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone took his soap box to Acton Market to tell shoppers about his plans to cut transport fares by seven per cent.

The Labour contender hopes to push the incumbent mayor, Conservative Boris Johnson, off the top spot at the polls on May 3. 

Accompanied by Dr Onkar Sahota, Labour's hopeful for representing Ealing and Hillingdon at the London Assembly, Mr Livingstone used a microphone to address passersby in Acton Market on Thursday last week (29).

He said: "I make no apology for the fact that the focus of my transport policy is to make it cheaper for Londoners to get around. This election is a referendum on who will make Londoners better off. 

"Under my Fare Deal, the average fare payer will save £1,000 over the next four years - many will save much more."

His other pledges include freezing the congestion charge for four years, protecting the Freedom Pass for people over 60 and bringing suburban rail services into London Overground. 

Mr Johnson also visited the borough last week, when he made an impromptu visit to Greenford Broadway on Wednesday. Today (02) he announced that if re-elected, Ealing would see the second largest boost in police numbers - an extra 69 officers to join safer neighbourhood teams out of 1,872 across the capital.

"This extra capacity, along with the Safer Neighbourhood Board, means the teams can focus more on preventing crime while also critically giving residents a greater say over policing in Ealing," he said.

Other mayoral candidates include: independent Siobhan Benita, Carlos Cortiglia for the British National Party, the Greens' Jenny Jones, Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick and Lawrence James Webb for Fresh Choice for London.

For more information and a full list of London Assembly member candidates visit www.londonelects.org.uk