Watford's mayor has called on Transport for London (TfL) to scrap its plan to make all of its stations cashless.

Passengers can currently use cash to buy tickets at 72 of TfL's 270 Underground stations.

But TfL wants to temporarily ban cash from all of its stations, reportedly as a way of limiting the spread of Covid-19.

However mayor Peter Taylor says the idea will cause "a lot of inconvenience" to passengers at some stations who are more than 400 metres away from a 'ticket stop'.

A ticket stop is a newsagents where passengers can buy a tube ticket - using cash if necessary - or top up their Oyster.

Among the stations 400m or more away from a ticket stop are Watford Met, Croxley, Rickmansworth, and Chorleywood, as well as Watford High Street Overground station.

Mr Taylor said: "It’s important that people are able to travel and that this is safe and straightforward. For some people, paying by cash is their preference.

"A report highlights that the nearest ticket shop would be over 400 metres from Watford High Street station. If the station goes cashless, this could cause a lot of inconvenience for some people using the station.

"Transport for London must scrap this plan."

Mr Taylor is referring to a report published by London TravelWatch; an independent, statutory watchdog for transport users in and around the capital.

Director Emma Gibson has written to Transport for London outlining the watchdog's "concern" about what impact this proposal will have on passengers - especially those on low incomes.

In her letter, Ms Gibson states the risk of spread of coronavirus by the use of notes and coins may be "overstated" and that this is "supported by research by the Bank of England".

She also referred to TfL's own data which shows prior to March 2020, London Underground ticket vending machines handled 75,000 cash transactions per day.

Ms Gibson urged TfL to "go back to the drawing board".

A TfL spokesperson said: "We’re focused on making our network as safe as possible for our staff and customers during this pandemic and we temporarily made the majority of ticket machines on London Underground and the DLR cashless in April.

"We’re now considering whether there is a case for most remaining Tube stations, as well as other stations on our network, to be made cashless on a temporary basis and have now begun discussions with stakeholders about this.

"We realise that there are a number of considerations that need to be taken into account before arriving at a conclusion and this will include an equalities impact assessment covering how this could affect staff and customers.

"In the meantime, ticket machines at these remaining stations will continue to accept cash."