• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

Can I just have a follow-up? I think the point I am making is that, if you do not build the whole tunnel, then you are still going to have the fish dying in the Thames, when there are flash floods. I want to add to that: have you pressed Thames Water ' this is about the desalination plant ' to look at just upgrading some of the just below drinking quality water that we have in abundance in London, rather than building a desalination plant, or introducing one, because, it is much cheaper, both in money terms and in...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

Okay, let us see. I see in your report that you are still giving money to Thames Water. Given that Thames Water this month ' just a few days ago ' has been fined yet again for polluting a stretch of stagnant brook because of defective sewage treatment, and Thames Water had the worst number of serious incidences in the whole country last year, what have you done to revise your love-in with Thames Water that we were talking about before the summer break? Are you now getting tough on them and putting pressure on them?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

Thank you. It seems to be the fashion this morning to quote what you have said back at you, and I have one too. July 2005, so a year ago, you said that `there is a good chance that, if we have permission to proceed before the summer recessthe eastern part of the scheme could be ready by 2012.' Given that that did not happen, what is your estimate now? Do you think that the waterways around the Olympic Park area will be sewage-free by 2012?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

This year Thames Water has topped the league of the worst polluters in England and Wales, and was fined £128,000 earlier this year. I was going to ask about the Olympics, but I think you have dealt with that. This summer Thames Water have announced they are going to cut approximately a third of their staff, obviously before the sell-off that is going to take place. I was just wondering if you believe that that is going to have any impact on the building of the interceptor or the ability of Thames Water to deliver their leakage targets?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

Therefore, provided they make the decision on the new timetable along those lines, you are saying that the Olympic Park area can still be sewage free?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

Can I have your specific assurance that there will be no reduction in the stopper trains on the Metropolitan Line service that go along the lines out to the underlying suburbs?

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

Thank you, Mayor, for that response. There is clearly scope for some improvements here, but it certainly builds on the improvements that you have launched on the overground for other residents of Brent and Harrow, along the Bakerloo Line beyond Queen's Park. This particular line is probably known to have more spacious carriages, more headroom; there is even storage for luggage and certainly back and head supports. Therefore, I dare say people are accustomed to a better standard there than in other parts of the Tube system. I just think it is quite clear that residents expect that to continue...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

One of the concerns that people have is that they frequently see Metropolitan lines whizzing through to parts that are well outside the GLA boundary on the fast trains, and yet the stopper trains are dramatically reduced in frequency, particularly during the rush hour.

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

One of the concerns that has been expressed, particularly about the Metropolitan line, is that various proposals have been voiced at different times to suggest actually reducing the service to the stopping stations, and increasing the service to, if you like, the mainline bits of the service ' Harrow on the Hill, Wembley Park, etc. Can you give us an assurance that commuters will not see that reduction take place?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 13 September 2006

I think it is not just the efficiency that has been improved, but they have actually reduced their risk to probity now, but anyway, thank you. I will go back to TfL with some of the detail. Thank you.