The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, called on London's businesses to invest in apprentices as he announced 400 new bus driver apprenticeships a year in the capital. 

The agreement between Transport for London (TfL) and its contractor, bus company First Group, will give new bus drivers the opportunity to develop additional skills and work towards recognised qualifications. 

In addition, Serco, which is delivering the Mayor's Cycle Hire scheme, is exploring plans to offer valuable apprenticeships as part of the 140 jobs to be created by the scheme. 

The Mayor met with six young apprentices at a highways maintenance depot in Charlton, where they are currently working on TfL contracts. He praised TfL's contractors EnterpriseMouchel, Amey and Ringway Jacobs who have all committed to the Mayor's responsible procurement policies by creating a total of 15 apprenticeship opportunities on their highways contracts with TfL. In addition, depot owner, EnterpriseMouchel, is committed to protecting London's environment, introducing electric vehicles to its maintenance fleet.

The Mayor published his Responsible Procurement Progress Report, which outlines how his annual £3 billion spending power is being used to deliver extra value for money for Londoners by encouraging contractors to provide increased economic, social and environmental benefits in the work they are awarded by the GLA Group. 

"Young apprentices are key to the future prosperity of London and it is essential that we continue to build a skilled workforce to maintain the competitiveness of our great city. That means companies in all sectors of our economy playing their part, by investing in young people who are keen to learn new skills and will add real value to any workforce. 

"I also salute all the companies that are engaging with the GLA's responsible procurement initiative. They are helping us to use the GLA's huge purchasing power to deliver extra benefits to London, from training up young apprentices to embracing energy-busting, green technology."

Since the introduction of the Mayor's Responsible Procurement Framework in April 2009 the GLA group has seen: 

• All GLA functional bodies recently achieved Gold Standard in London's Green Procurement Code progress review, which identified that over 500,000 tonnes of waste has been diverted from landfill through GLA group recycling projects and nearly 40 tonnes of CO2 has been saved through the purchase and use of energy efficient equipment
• Nearly 80 per cent of invoices from small to medium sized businesses, working for the group, paid within 10 working days 
• GLA Group contracts (including sub-contract opportunities) are being advertised on CompeteFor, the online service allowing all businesses to compete for contract opportunities linked to the London 2012 Games and other major public and private sector projects
• Over 100 organisations across London now paying a minimum of the Living Wage, with around 6,000 Londoners benefiting 
• More than 150 GLA group suppliers registering with the Mayor's Diversity Works for London programme to improve their equality and diversity practices
• In excess of 200 GLA group staff trained in responsible procurement techniques Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Fire Brigade each won an award for excellence in responsible purchasing at the annual Green Procurement Code awards ceremony on 26th October.

Deputy Mayor of London, Richard Barnes, who oversees the GLA Group Responsible Procurement Programme said: 

"I am proud of the big strides we have made embedding responsible procurement into the Authority's purchasing procedures. This report forms part of our commitment for the authority to be more open, accountable, transparent and cost effective. The challenges we face are significant, but I am confident that with the continued co-operation of our suppliers in the public and private sectors, we are setting the standard for responsible businesses in the capital."

Peter Hendy, London's Transport Commissioner said: 

'TfL is committed to delivering value for money for London's fare and tax payers. I am delighted to see TfL's progress in meeting this commitment whilst providing long term benefits through the Responsible Procurement Programme."

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