• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

ndeed. You did also talk a little bit about the background of the Routemaster and the people who were demanding that it be kept in service and who were supporting the vehicle. Do you not think it is a touch hypocritical to criticise those people when during the Lord Mayor's Parade at the weekend, the vehicle that TfL used in that parade to highlight their brilliance, was a Routemaster bus?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

Thank you, Chair. I think some more work should be done on that one.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

I understand what you are saying and I agree we do not want delays. However, therefore there may be a bit of a problem about the advice they are being given if essentially it is unworkable and maybe some more thought needs to go on to giving a more reasonable risk assessment approach to the situation, because there is no point in giving security advice which none of us think is unreasonable to follow, but we do want the best security that can be achieved.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

This is one particular instance but of course you will understand why this is a real concern to us; there was a particular issue where the driver said that he had himself checked that a bag that was abandoned was not a safety threat. Is this what drivers are expected to do and if not, do you think it would be a good idea, while we are on the theme of education and information, to put information around so that passengers know how drivers are supposed to react to these situations?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

Can you then look and see if the phasing out of the single zone Travelcard can be the last thing that you do then?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

There are some gaps that I feel need to be dealt with. Can I just draw your attention to one? The withdrawal of the single zone Travelcard will be a blow to my constituents who use overground rail and I am sure it applies to other Members. I am talking about users of the Gospel Oak to Barking line; the North London line and the Chingford line as they cannot get the benefits of Oyster pre-pay. Will you consider retaining single zone Travelcards until agreement can be reached with the Train Operating Companies (TOCs) on the use of Oyster pre-pay...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

Yes but we know how TfL works; they do not do everything all at once. So I am just saying can you take forward the request?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

I was with constituents in Waltham Forest. The Town Hall was full and they were absolutely celebrating the fact that they were one of the five Olympic boroughs. However, they raised concerns about the work that is going on in that borough and their relationship with the current LDA programmes. Will you give a commitment on behalf of the LDA that no current programme will suffer detriment because of this need that you now have to re-look at the LDA finances?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

In the absence of those savings, the LDA would have to find savings in other activities and budgets in other parts of London?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 16 November 2005

You were talking about borrowing requirements should there be a shortfall, and in the case of the Government not being able to allocate extra borrowing I was rather disturbed to hear you say that you would then raid the TfL borrowing requirement. Is that not a sacrifice when you yourself are seeking to have more powers over transport in London and the need for investment, particularly in rail in London, is very high and it should not really be raided by the Olympics.