• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

I am grateful for that. Perhaps we can follow up some of those specific points on funding outside the meeting? I am happy to do that. I know, for the record, that TfL remain very firmly committed to the Woolwich station; that is very important to my constituents. That was the other point I wanted to raise. If you put aside the question of the Woolwich station, my reading of the Plan does not suggest there is very much for people in South East London. The Thameslink upgrade is the one thing that might be of use. Can I just...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

So let us get this clear. You are saying that it is not you who sets the fares, it is the Mayor who sets the fares? On the assumption that the Mayor sticks to raising fares in line with the RPI ' I'm not sure that we can make that assumption, but let us assume that he sticks to RPI - it is not likely that that is going to cover your entire shopping list is it?

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

Going back to the line of questioning that my colleague, Tony Arbour, was pursuing. Would it not be at least sensible, if you were going to have to shed projects that did not find the money, to shed the ones that were least popular? Would it not be obvious to drop the West London Tram, given that it has not got popular support in the area where it is meant to be operating? It looks like it is going to be extremely expensive. Would that not be an obvious one to drop off your wish list?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

By more trains?

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

I would be grateful if you would let me chair the meeting! I would be most grateful, Commissioner, if you would answer the question, thank you.

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

Thank you very much for that. Still we will not have an increased capacity on the District line, which is unbelievable to travel on in peak hours.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

Are you able to list for us, because this is a very near future thing, how much you envisage fare rises to increase over the next five years? Specifically, what is the fare increase that you have in mind for the year 2008/2009?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

I did hear in your briefing that you mentioned an expansion or enhancement of three tube lines. Can I give you the opportunity now to expand on that? I am particularly interested in capacity on the District Line and whether, in fact, you have managed to separate the Northern Line, and whether this is going to be done under PPP or under some other financial arrangement. p

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

But the costs are going to be higher for the tram, probably higher than they are at the moment, so it would still be the same case would it not, that with these expensive infrastructure projects, the costs outweigh the benefits? He is making that claim.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 06 December 2006

If, as you say, it would be unrealistic to publish in your glossy brochure the things that you cannot do, why does your glossy brochure not have health warnings written over it to say: `All of this is dependant on the Government bailing us out. All of this is dependant on us getting the extra fares'? Would that not have been a more honest way of coming to Londoners, rather than presenting this glossy document? Why is one of the things in your 2025 document not an undertaking to get rid of all the fare paying evasion that takes place...