• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Mr Mayor, the question started out as being about Road Safety Week. Can I ask you if you could use your good offices with Transport for London to improve road safety by having them remove a lot of the street clutter that they leave around when they have done works; it often remains around for weeks. Also, to remove some of the unnecessary street signage and the things which actually obstruct the sight lines of pedestrians and motorists too?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Another concern for road safety is the routing of TfL bus routes down inappropriate residential roads. I realise there is always a consultation but sometimes the consultation is not taken notice of. In my case we have the 372 bus route -- -- and I have a petition - please do not quote other numbers at me while I am saying this, Brian, you know I will get lost - of 764 signatures from people in those roads who do not want the bus to go down there. There are two schools nearby; it will discourage people allowing their children...

• Question by: James Cleverly
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Mr Mayor, one of the significant factors in road safety is vehicles using side roads as cut-throughs because the main arterial routes are so heavily congested. Will you confirm that you will make every effort to ensure that the smooth running of traffic through arterial routes is maintained, to disincentivise to the drivers who feel it is quicker and easier to nip down side streets, often residential streets, and thus increase the danger to children and vulnerable road users?

• Question by: James Cleverly
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Mr Mayor would you join me in applauding the project youth scheme which has been running in Croydon which has actually shown that this a model for this scheme and it has actually been working incredibly well with a very impressive reduction in reoffending rates. I would just ask whether you would join me in applauding their efforts.

• Question by: Andrew Boff
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Mr Mayor, can you explain why the Members opposite hold uniformed youth organisations in such contempt?

• Question by: Andrew Boff
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Mr Mayor, how will you understand a substantial vote for the middle option of amending it, because you cannot anticipate what people are thinking. If you do not give them a yes or no answer and you give them a third option, for those who might vote for that option it could be that they want to keep the congestion charge, but amend it, or their motives may be, 'We would rather get rid of it but if we have to have it we would rather it was amended'. The trouble with the third option is that you cannot really...

• Question by: Kit Malthouse
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Would you agree with me, Mr Mayor, that part of the problem with the dangerous dogs issue is that the slow speed at which decisions are made by magistrates about the disposal of the dogs? Also that the current cost to the Metropolitan Police Service, which is running at over £2 million, of running kennels to hold these animals is unacceptably high given that often they are in there for months on end before a decision is made at the end of a prolonged court battle about the dog, and that part of this action plan could be agreeing a...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Obviously we welcome the interesting article in the press yesterday attributed to Mr Mandelson. Would you agree that in order to get through to the bottom of this issue one needs to separate the need of the postal service to operate commercially and recognise that, for example, in the case of Germany and I think the Netherlands, they have very thrusting commercial postal operators who are making big profits, buying up businesses across Europe, whereas ours has been relatively struggling, separating that from the important social need to provide outlets particularly to disadvantaged communities and people who are less mobile...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

Mr Mayor, we have of course got part of the Thames Gateway in Havering and it is not, as John Biggs suggests, a Labour area of the Thames Gateway. In fact, with just one Labour council it is almost a Labour-free area of the Thames Gateway. Like most of the Gateway it is on flood plain and subject to a threat of flooding. Could you make sure when you lobby for our money that they are not going to water down flood defences for this very important area because if people are going to live there we want them to...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 November 2008

I was, by the way, on the previous question going to ask whether you were inclined to sponsor the creation of a London branch of the Bullingdon Club to promote youth harmony, but I did not have the opportunity to do that. Given its promotion of vertical drinking and antisocial behaviour that is probably not a good idea. On the Gateway I am surprised that the Tories even persisted with this question because the proper posture for you is one of shame at having given back to the Government £350 million which they had put on the table for you...