• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

I was going to raise what I think is a strategic point which underlies the very valid local point that Valerie makes; that is the extent to which Network Rail has consistently failed to address the lack of capacity for trains going from south London and south east London into all of the London termini; it affects London Bridge, Charing Cross and the works. Since we are unlikely, unfortunately, to reach Geoff's [Pope] question further down, can I ask, is that not even more highlighted by the extraordinary debacle over the Eurostar platforms at Waterloo where they have had three...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

This did not originally come from TfL Rail this is the Network Rail Route Utilisation Strategy. The railway industry en masse prioritises longer distance commuters and undervalues Central London rail infrastructure and passengers.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

What I want from you, Mayor, is a proper assessment of the usage of the South London Line before TfL Rail will go anywhere near supporting a case for removing it. I also want the rail industry to look seriously at how efficiently they manage their capital assets at the stations. If London Underground can have a stepping-back system and turn the Tube trains round as fast as they do on the Victoria Line, why cannot the rail industry get the trains in and out of their pinch point rail head stations at London Bridge and Victoria faster? The South...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

I wondered, in your discussions with London Councils, whether you had had an exchange of views about the proposal of some London boroughs, particularly Westminster, to regulate the distribution of food to homeless people?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

My concern is the timescale for all of this. What is your projected timescale to change the London Plan and get this instituted across London?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

Finally, in terms of your definition of character of properties, you alluded to losing houses of character. Is that being tightly drawn or is that going to be a loose arrangement?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

How long do you think this is going to go on because many elders - and I was with a group last week - have to be out and about at 8 am, to make hospital appointments and deal with other matters in their lives. How long are we going to carry on with this inequality in terms of saying to elders you cannot use public transport before 9 am?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

Clearly it is a step forward that the authority responsible for the Tube and buses in London is starting to take management responsibility for the overland trains so I certainly welcome this step on the Overground and it does look as though the standards are going to be brought up to the level of London Underground and people will be pleased about that. Of course the big step will be when we get new rolling stock and that is two years away. It has all gone quiet about your ambitions to take further control of overland trains. Is that in...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

One of the ideas that came up from pensioners is what you could do is issue them with the Oyster Card and that would in fact reduce the cost because all they would have to do is top up. Something has to be done because 10% is a sizeable amount of the population and within that you can find a number of elders who cannot afford to travel.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 14 November 2007

Mayor, can I add my support to the arrival of what has been called the brand new age of London Overground under TfL and the new operator. I think we are going to be calling them LOROL (London Overground Rail Operations Ltd), which sounds more like makeup than an operator. We welcome that, especially the major improvements planned for the service. Would you agree with me that it is about sustaining that quality of service and so therefore would you join me and members of the Barking and Gospel Oak Line Users for a journey along that line to establish...