Politicians have called on London Mayor Boris Johnson to improve links to central London with both tram and rail links.

Mr Johnson faced questions from Greater London Authority Members Steve O'Connell and Caroline Pidgeon who asked the Mayor to improve Sutton's public transport links to the centre of London during Mayor's Question Time at City Hall yesterday.

Mrs Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, highlighted the benefits extending the Tramlink to Sutton would bring to the borough.

Mr O'Connell pressed for the Crossrail 2 scheme to stop at Worcester Park and then for that to be linked to Sutton via an extended Tramlink.

Mr Johnson said Sutton does have a "reasonable business case" to bring the tram to town and backed plans to link it with Crossrail 2.

Sutton is one of a number of areas bidding to Transport for London, which is headed up by the Mayor, to get an extension to the Tramlink.

Your Local Guardian:

How Boris Johnson welcoming the tram to Sutton might look

Boroughs have to prove they have a good business case for Tramlink, which operates in Croydon and Merton, to be extended and show businesses are willing to invest to make it a success.

Crossrail 2 is an extension to Crossrail which would send it further into both north and south London. In South London the proposed route goes through Worcester Park but there are no firm plans for it to stop there.

In response to Mrs Pidgeon's questions about Tramlink, Mr Johnson said his staff were already working on plans for a Tramlink extension but could not say when a decision would be made on which of the five boroughs bidding for an extension will get it.

After Mayor's Question Time, Mrs Pidgeon said: "There is a very strong case for extending the tram to Sutton. It would bring huge economic benefits, including thousands of new jobs to the borough. 

"Instead of just warm words the Mayor must now make a decision once and for all."

Your Local Guardian: The proposed route was put forward by Sutton Council at a public meeting on Thursday.

The planned route a tram in Sutton could take

Mr O'Connell pointed out Sutton is one of the only boroughs with no tube, London Overground, Tramlink or Crossrail connections and called on Mr Johnson to include it in his future plans.

Speaking after the session, Mr O'Connell said: "Crossrail 2 is a fantastic project and will be of great benefit to South West Londoners and to Sutton residents in reducing journey times to Central London as well as improving connectivity to the Northern Line.

"Boris Johnson backed my suggestion that Crossrail 2 and the Tramlink should extend and be linked at Worcester Park giving even greater connectivity for Sutton and South London.

"I also pushed the Mayor to continue his work of extending the Tramlink to Sutton and Crystal Palace in light of the new financial settlement for Transport for London.

"The Mayor went even further by suggesting that Sutton might be included in London Overground or even Underground plans in the near future."