Editing Mayor of London (section)

===Ken Livingstone===
Initiatives taken by [[Ken Livingstone]] as Mayor of London included the [[London congestion charge]] on private vehicles using city centre London on weekdays, the creation of the [[C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group|London Climate Change Agency]], the London Energy Partnership and the founding of the international [[Large Cities Climate Leadership Group]], now known as [[C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group]]. The congestion charge led to many new buses being introduced across London. In August 2003, Livingstone oversaw the introduction of the [[Oyster card]] electronic ticketing system for [[Transport for London]] services.<ref name=cw-20030819>{{cite news |url=http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240052235/London-fare-freeze-to-boost-smartcard-use |title=London fare freeze to boost smartcard use |author=James Rogers |newspaper=Computer Weekly |date=19 August 2003 |access-date=19 September 2014}}</ref> Livingstone supported the withdrawal of the vintage [[AEC Routemaster]] buses from regular service in London.<ref>{{Cite news|author= Dwyer, Robyn|date = 5 October 2013|access-date = 15 February 2023|url=https://www.itv.com/news/london/update/2013-10-05/ken-livingstone-too-many-people-died-on-routemasters/|title=Ken Livingstone: too many people died on Routemasters|work=[[ITV News]]}}</ref>

Livingstone introduced the London Partnerships Register which was a voluntary scheme without legal force for same sex couples to register their partnership, and paved the way for the introduction by the United Kingdom Parliament of [[civil partnership]]s and later still, [[Same-sex marriage]]. Unlike civil partnerships, the London Partnerships Register was open to heterosexual couples who favour a public commitment other than marriage.

As Mayor of London, Livingstone was a supporter of the [[2012 Summer Olympics|London Olympics in 2012]], ultimately winning the bid to host the Games in 2005. Livingstone encouraged sport in London; especially when sport could be combined with helping charities like The London Marathon and 10K charity races. Livingstone, in a mayoral election debate on the [[BBC]]'s ''[[Question Time (TV programme)|Question Time]]'' in April 2008, stated that the primary reason he supported the Olympic bid was to secure funding for the redevelopment of the [[East End of London]]. In July 2007, he brought the [[2007 Tour de France|Tour de France]] cycle race to London.