• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

Thank you, Commissioner. Firstly, on the business of pest control, the companies who told us this made quite clear that there are legal obligations that oblige them to do this very regularly. My main issue is that TfL was quoted on the story on the Congestion Charge on Parcelforce saying: `They had no record of any business asking customers to foot the bill'. We just took a random number of medium to large sized companies; CBRE, a major property company in London, Vinopolis. Head of Operations at Vinopolis went through all of her bills and stated, quite clearly: `I have...

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

Fine. I get one of my team to ring 30 companies and 10 of them give specifics. That is the key, they are being charged. When we had a recent scrutiny of the film industry on the Economic Development Committee, all of those who are not financially dependant upon either the GLA money or Government said: `It is a major issue. The Congestion Charge is a barrier to us because of the number of vehicles'. There is an attempt to play it down, I think that is the thing that I am saying. Can you not do some research, include...

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

Do you ask this question though; are your delivery companies and so on charging you?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

I am pointing out that the CBI made it quite clear that they were not impressed that there was no extra delivery time. It is not me saying it, Mr Hendy, that is what the CBI gave as evidence to the Transport Committee. Let me go on to talk about additional costs on businesses. The GLA's own Economic Report did say that if any businesses had been hurt, it was the small retailer inside the Congestion Charge Zone. If you look at the figures you will see that 87% of all retailers are small retailers and therefore it would be...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

I am surprised you suggested you were going to take Parcelforce to task because they had benefited from doing extra deliveries. You will recall the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), when Mary Reilly came to give evidence as the London representative of the CBI, said they had withdrawn their support from the Congestion Charge precisely because they were not getting an extra delivery time in because the congestion had not been sufficiently reduced - many would argue it is as bad as it always was - and therefore there was no extra delivery time that would have made it beneficial...

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

You could ask that question as well, but they have to pay it

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

You just said you have cut the volume of traffic.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

Are any traffic lights being sped up as a result or are they all being put on to red for longer? Or, are you going the other way with some traffic lights and putting them on to green for longer?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 21 February 2006

Finally, what discussions have you had with Sir Ian Blair (Metropolitan Police Commissioner) about extending the patrols around the stations, particularly in light of what has happened?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 21 February 2006

My understanding is that on London Underground stations, it is maintained for a number of weeks, but on Silverlink it is a matter, as I understand it, of one or two days. Do you think that is acceptable in the current climate?