So Cllr Coleman spends £17k on taxi's promoting and representing the London Assembly at events around London. How much does the Mayor spend on international travel promoting London in places like Venezuela and Cuba? The answer? 100 times more with no benefit to us who have to pay.

It really is sick for Coleman to vote to abolish free travel for under-16s, many of whom are supported by low income families, then swan around in a cab just because he feels he is above travelling on public transport.

And I can't really fathom people like Xenia trying to justify it by making a completely laughable and ridiculous comparison with Ken Livingstone's international travel costs.

The fact is, Livingstone is working towards developing a fair and efficient transport system for ALL Londoners, not just the rich and selfish individuals who think the world was built exclusively for them.

And, you will find, Livingstone uses his free travel card more often than not.

Why doesn't Coleman?

And if you want me to list the 'beneifts' Londoners have felt since Livingstone came in, there's not enough space on this page.

Barnet may be dominated by middle class tories but, thankfully, London as a whole is not.

While I find Brian Coleman's attitude particularly repugnant, they're all as bad as each other in the London Assembly. They don't seem to do anything except undermine each other, slag each other off and cost us a load of money. One's spending thousands and the other's spending even more thousands? Get rid of the lot of them. Did London grind to a halt before we had this costly, luxury authority? No. Sack the lot and if they want to preen and flatter their own inflated egos they can enter Big Brother next year.

I agree with Xenia. I find this article totally bias and one sided. Do we know how many events Brian Coleman attended whilst promoting the London Assembly? Was it in place of the current Chairman of the Assembly perhaps?

Was it of any benefit for residents of Barnet or indeed Camden (which is the GLA seat in which Brian Coleman supports very well) when the Mayor went off to Venezuela and Cuba? No it was not.

Just like Cllr McGuirk it is of no use allowing children to travel free. They should be able to travel free between the hours of 8-5pm school times, not any other time. In this day and age it is unsafe to allow your children to roam the streets through fear of abduction or worse, at least if they have to use their Oyster Card and pay to use it out of school hours and holidays parents would at least know where their child might have been.

So instead of Red Ken putting up travel costs and ignoring crime on out streets, how about after 8 years in power he and his colleagues think about those of us who work hard and pay our taxes but reap no benefits!

I disagree David.

Whether you like Ken Livingstone's politics or not, you cannot deny that he has implemented a number of, in some cases, quite radical policies during his tenure.

Indeed, he appears to be the only politician around these days who does as he says.

Furthermore, if you look at the current mayoral election campaign, it involves Johnson and Paddick making personal attacks on Livingstone without coming up with any policies of their own.

While I take your general point that politicians are 'all the same' these days (Tory and Labour policy are largely the same), I don't think that applies in London where Livingstone is formulating clear, progressive plans and pursuing them.

Hence, he gets up some people's noses.

Gillian Wheels, what do you mean by 'promoting the London Assembly'?

Do you mean 'promoting Brian Coleman'?

And, I presume your support of abolishing free travel for under 16s means you think that only well off kids should be allowed to use public transport?

That's very fair-minded of you!

As for that tosh about it 'being unsafe to let your kids roam the streets' - it has never been safer.

You are less likely today to be a victim of crime than ever before. FACT.

I would suggest you look beyond the sensationalist headlines and consider the actual figures.

As for paying your taxes and reaping no benefits, I'd get onto your Tory-controlled Barnet council about that.

I'm not a Brian Coleman fan, but if the cab fare bill is justified because he is on official business and he has to safely cart his Gold chain of office around safely then it would be quite simple to prove. Presumably he has an official diary of events. Maybe he could list his engagements for a month & the associated taxi bills. That way if he is doing as good a job as he says we'll all know. By the way Ken's trip to Venezuela resulted in a deal to supply London buses with cheap fuel. I suspect that this has saved us all a fortune. I find it quite ironic that the likes of Gillian criticise Ken for giving people free travel and putting the cost of travel up at the same time. I suspect she is not much of a bus user so doesn't really know what she's talking about.

I've spoken to Brian before, about his taxi bill, and he's mentioned the gold chain - BUT, isn't this just a relic from the GLC that he insists on wearing for his own vanity and nothing to do with the GLA!

Of course if Mr Coleman were to use the Northern Line to get home like normal people do, he runs a substantial risk of running into residents of Partingdale Lane, whom he accused of staging road accidents. They change at Finchley Central for Mill Hill East. Or he might run into residents of New Barnet whom he accused of anti-semitism.

It is technically impossible to libel large groups of people, so he hasn't been challenged in the courts over these potential sweeping defamations.

Individuals from those districts might reasonably want a word with him however. He probably wants to avoid an awkward and embarassing scene (he clearly hates those!).

He could drive into work, but then he'd have to pay the congestion charge, besides which he would run the risk of losing his license again.

I travel on the Northern Line on weeknights and I'd rather not run into him as it would interfere with my digestion.

So it's money well spent I suppose.

A leopard never changes its spots. Brian has always been a blown-up, self-important, 'do as i do, not as i say' type. Mind you, Ken is no fine example. Thankfully we only have a few weeks left before Boris gets rid of him. Thankfully it's not Brian taking over.

Ha ha ha!

Boris Johnson as mayor!

You might as well appoint a stuffed animal.

'Then you don't promise,' said the Badger, 'never to touch a motor-car again?'

'Certainly not!' replied Toad emphatically. 'On the contrary, I faithfully promise that the very first motor-car I see, poop- poop! off I go in it!'

Bill from Barnet - genius.

If Brian Coleman walked rather than grandly rode in cabs, perhaps he wouldn't be quite so rotund and toad-like. Come on Brian, get off your backside and start exercising.

whats with this sad obsession with Brian Coleman. Ok, so its obvious you don't like the man and you show blatant political bias, stop with the gossip no one cares!

He was against Middlesex University's plans to expand its Trent Park campus because it was "a crap university". In June 2006 he criticised the planned refurbishment of Potters Fields Park (between City Hall and Tower Bridge), saying that it should be replaced by a multi-storey car park.

In August 2007, residents of New Barnet campaigning on the environmental and transport details connected with the redevelopment of the East Barnet School site (metropolitan open land adjoining the green belt), were criticised by Coleman as "idiots" and "the usual Nimby brigade". The previous month Coleman was the only objector to the erection of a wind turbine at Frith Manor Primary School.

During his time as a councillor in the London Borough of Barnet, Coleman has built up a reputation as an outspoken supporter of car driving, leading Richard Littlejohn to label him a "hero" for introducing a policy of removing road humps when the roads of Barnet are resurfaced. Road safety critics argue that the policy is reckless and driven by populism and self promotion.

Coleman was caught by a speed camera exceeding a 30mph speed limit in Borehamwood in January 2006. He already had 9 points on his driving licence. On 9 August 2006 at St Albans Magistrates' Court, Coleman was given three points on his licence, banned from driving for six months and fined £300.

Coleman takes great pride in his campaign to re-open Partingdale Lane, a narrow country road with no pavement, between Mill Hill and Woodside Park in London. The lane was closed by Barnet's previous Labour council for safety reasons, not least that residents of nearby Woodside Park had been using the road as a high speed rat-run. The road was reopened in December 2002, before being closed again two months later following a High Court judgement. Following a £250,000 safety improvement project (including a pavement, traffic islands, 20mph flashing speed-limit signs and width restrictions) the road was reopened in September 2007. Coleman accused residents of staging one of the two car accidents reported in the weeks following the reopening of Partingdale Lane.

London Assembly:

He was elected to the Assembly at the 2000 election, and retained the seat in 2004. He served as the first Conservative Chair(man) of the London Assembly in 2004/5 and again in 2006/07, and was Deputy Chair(man) in 2005/6 and for the 2007/8 session. He is also currently chair of the Business Management and Appointments, and the Elections Review Committee. He is vice chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

As Chairman of the London Assembly, Coleman introduced the old Greater London Council Chairman's badge and has made the role considerably more civic-based than previous holders of the post. This has led some critics to label Coleman as "pompous" and "self important", not least because of the high number of honorary and civic positions he has held in the past and continues to hold at present.

In July 2007 he was criticised by Livingstone for spending £10,000 on taxi fares from 1st April 2006 to 30th March 2007, compared to the average figure for a London Assembly member of around £845. This period coincided with the six months that Coleman was banned from driving.

A GLA audit panel report in October 2007 showed that Coleman had run up taxi expenses of £1740 in the period 1st April 2007 to 31st August 2007. This accounted for one third of all cab expenses for the Mayor and 25 GLA members. He was criticised by Livingstone for "creating a chauffeur service for himself" and by the leader of the Barnet Council Labour group for his "breathtaking arrogance".

A further GLA audit panel report in March 2008 revealed that Coleman had run up taxi expenses of £4157 in the period 1st April 2007 to 31st December 2007. This accounted for half of all cab expenses for the Mayor and 25 GLA members. Livingstone asked "Brian Coleman must explain to Londoners how he can possibly justify spending more on taxis in four weeks than the average Assembly member does in nine months.

As for political bias - no one here is criticising any other members of the Conservative party (God rot them!). This is an examination of the reasons for Brian Coleman's extraordinary expenditure of public money on cab fares, removal of road safety measures, slagging off of sections of public opinion with whom he disagrees, and saying anything to get a bit of press exposure (I rather liked Ted Heath regardless of his sexuality, If his wish was to keep it private, that's where it should've remained).

If people wish to redress the balance, then they should step up and defend Toady (and Boris, who I notice has been sideswiped). Simply saying "Shut up. Nobody cares" is a bit facile frankly.

That money he's been spending on cabs would be much better spent on replacing the speed bumps on Victora Road EN4, where Toady's policy has led to a huge rise in serious road accidents since their removal.

Dan wrote:
whats with this sad obsession with Brian Coleman. Ok, so its obvious you don\'t like the man and you show blatant political bias, stop with the gossip no one cares!

`You common, low, fat barge-woman!' he shouted; `don't you dare to talk to your betters like that! Washerwoman indeed! I would have you to know that I am a Toad, a very well-known, respected, distinguished Toad! I may be under a bit of a cloud at present, but I will not be laughed at by a bargewoman!'

The woman moved nearer to him and peered under his bonnet keenly and closely. `Why, so you are!' she cried. `Well, I never! A horrid, nasty, crawly Toad! And in my nice clean barge, too! Now that is a thing that I will not have.'