Ken Livingstone plans to take over Croydon tramlink and extend it to Crystal Palace, according to his transport manifesto released today.

If reelected in May, Mr Livingstone also plans to allow pensioners and the disabled to travel free on public transport 24 hours a day, put 500 hybrid buses on the road by 2010 and introduce the £25 CO2 charge for gas guzzlers driving into central London.

Mr Livingstone says all replacement buses will be hybrids by 2012, cutting CO2 emissions by 40 per cent.

Other plans include: New technology to allow Oyster Pay As You Go top-up via mobile phones 20mph zones around schools and on residential streets to reduce death and injury 4,000 satellite-linked bus stop information signs Continued free travel for under 18s on the buses A central London bike hire scheme with 6,000 bikes available every 300m and free to use for the first half hour Mr Livingstone said the biggest job facing London's mayor was delivering existing projects including the £16billion Crossrail scheme and £1billion a year of Tube improvements.

"If schemes like Crossrail, the bringing of local rail services under London's control with London Overground, Tube modernisation and the management of our buses go wrong they are so large they will create not only a transport but a financial disaster for London with huge rises in fares and business rates," Mr Livingstone said.

"I am running on my record of successfully delivering major improvements in London's transport system in the last eight years and on delivering the even bigger schemes to come."

Mr Livingstone's opponents have already released their transport plans.

Conservative challenger Boris Johnson said he would improve public transport in outer London with orbital bus routes, spend less on press officers, using the money to pay for extra police to patrol the transport network, introduce a bike hire scheme and halt Tube ticket office closures.

He also wants teens that lose their free bus travel privilege by committing antisocial behaviour to earn it back through community service.

Lib Dem candidate Brian Paddick says he supports extending the tram to Sutton.

"Running the tram to Sutton would show there is an alternative to Mr Livingstone's inner-city focused transport policy. The suburbs need better public transport too."