• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

My original question was about whether this project is going to be delivered on time. This is a major project tunnelling under London. There are a lot of situations in the past where we have had cost over-runs because when you dig down you find it is not the same rock as you expected and so on, as you well know. This is the biggest engineering project in Europe. What steps are you putting in place to ensure that we come in on time and on budget?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

Will you look again at the issue of the carriage upgrades on the Metropolitan Line because that is a central issue that many constituents are raising now?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

I have always been in support of Crossrail and I am also in support of Crossrail 2. I think one of the first questions I asked you in 2000 related to Crossrail. I am delighted to hear that you consider that Crossrail 2 is still on the table.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

Is the West London Tram completely dead and buried now then?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

Finally, I must not forget the good people of Acton. They campaigned for their mainline station to be on Crossrail. Acton mainline station has been half under threat of closure. Can this be included on the rail as a stopping point? I do not expect you to give me a definitive answer today.

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

The other question I have is on the East London Line; I am being very parochial this morning. I thought that you said that the East London Line spur was no more but I am glad to hear that you have said it is going to be part of the 2010 funding plans.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

I would be interested in your comments on the views of a former Chair of the Assembly who said that Crossrail would be of no benefit at all to Londoners and it consisted basically of 'just a few trains from Maidenhead'. Could you address that? If that is a legitimate view of the Conservative Party do you think that makes a statement on behalf of the Conservative Party to Londoners which we should be interested in exploring further?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

At the moment we are envisaging that the Metropolitan Line and the Hammersmith and City Line will be upgraded by 2013.

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

My press release was concerned with the impact on fares. Certainly I have always supported Crossrail; since I was a little boy almost. I cannot understand what you are saying about fares because it seems to change quite frequently. When you announced this you said there would be no impact on fares caused by Crossrail. Yesterday, under questioning, you said there would be an increase in fares caused by Crossrail but you did not know how much it would be. Today you say there is not going to be an increase in fares. Can you clarify this?

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 17 October 2007

Chair, in some ways the Mayor has answered the question I was going to ask. Can I just be a bit more specific about what the residents of Hayes and Southall have to pay to get to the airport. Do they really have to wait ten years for that premium they are paying at the moment and could something not be done earlier which will no doubt help BAA and the way they operate Heathrow Airport?