I offer fresh ideas, says Johnson

Mr Johnson spoke of his experience in the private sector

Conservative London mayoral candidate Boris Johnson has said he has "the creativity, the dynamism and the fresh ideas" to improve the city.

He also said it was "the most wonderful job in the world and I've absolutely no doubt that London needs a change" from Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone.

Mr Johnson spoke as nominations for the 1 May election opened.

He and Mr Livingstone will be joined by Lib Dem candidate Brian Paddick and up to 10 others.

'Tight contest'

A YouGov survey for the Evening Standard suggests Mr Johnson has the support of 49% of London voters, with Mr Livingstone on 37% and Mr Paddick on 12%. Other candidates polled 3%.

The mayoral election and London Assembly elections take place on 1 May, with nominations closing on 28 March.

Mr Johnson, MP for Henley, said he would leave Parliament if he won the mayoralty.

I think the chief job of the mayor is to reclaim that sense of safety and security Boris Johnson

He told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "I think it's going to be a tight contest. I think Londoners are going to be listening to what candidates are going to do for them."

Mr Johnson, a former editor of the Spectator magazine, added: "I'm the only candidate who has got any experience in the private sector of controlling costs."

His transport manifesto includes scrapping bendy buses in favour of Routemasters - which would have conductors and disabled access and be run on environmentally friendly fuel.

'Really matter'

He would also pay for more police officers to patrol buses and railway platforms, and encourage union bosses to agree not to strike on the London Underground, in a deal with Tube bosses.

Mr Johnson said he had policies on the issues "that really matter" to Londoners, including housing, improving public transport and crime.

"I think the chief job of the mayor is to reclaim that sense of safety and security in all places for which the mayor is directly responsible," he said.

For example, he said he would tackle the intimidation felt by Londoners on the buses by teenagers "acting up".

"We can deal with that, it's been going up and this mayor has done absolutely nothing about it," he said.

Mr Johnson said he wanted to target low-level disorder, such as fare evasion, which he said would make a "real difference" on crime.