London Lib Dem Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon has challenged the Mayor to explain to Londoners why thousands of emergency 999 calls are not being responded to by the Met, but instead being bounced onto other police forces.

Commenting on the Mayor’s admission of the Met’s failure to answer and respond to so many 999 calls Caroline Pidgeon said:

“The Mayor needs to explain to Londoners why thousands of emergency 999 calls are not being responded to by the Met, but instead being bounced onto other police forces.

"The severe delays in 999 calls being answered during the night is a very serious concern which the Mayor needs to urgently address.

“Most importantly having rushed through the creation of Basic Command Units the Mayor also needs to provide an account for why they often coincide with a deterioration in response times to 999 calls in many boroughs.”

The Met police are regularly redirecting 999 calls they receive over night to other police forces, the Mayor of London has admitted in response to questioning by the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon. Over the Summer months (June to August) the Met diverted 2820 emergency 999 calls it received onto other police forces to handle.

In response to questioning the Mayor has also admitted: