• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

In terms of the information we have had from TfL on bus fares, because we have been asking questions encouraged by a senior academic who complained at the Budget Committee about the difficulty of access to modelling on fares, the projection is that bus service journeys will go up 4-5%. What assumptions do you know have been about any corresponding use of the Tube? Do you assume a modal shift or do you assume that the bus will be used where people have not travelled by public transport before, or is it a mixture?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

Do you also accept that the evidence is pretty clear that the major growth in congestion in London is in the suburbs where we need to invest to get those levels of congestion down?

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

Referring back to this question of the West London Tram, you made the assertion that opposition had collapsed to about 18%. With respect, what planet do your pollsters come from? There is a great deal more opposition to the tram than 18%, I can assure you. In our inquiry it came out that the tram was in fact extremely poor value for money. It is a very expensive option. Professor (Chris) Wright (Transport Management Research, Middlesex University) told us that nobody buys trams anymore, they are out of date. You are proposing to dig up the Uxbridge Road for 13...

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

I wonder if I could consult the Mayor further about the comment that he made in his presentation about the possible use of land presently held by TfL for housing. This is not an attack on such a proposal. We have long said, and I dare say the Mayor has as well, that land which is in public ownership should be used for public benefit in a way it has not been. He mentioned the figure of £28 million and I appreciate this is breaking news, as it were. What would suffer, what would go in the TfL budget, which...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

Can I start by saying that members of my constituency and elsewhere in London need and want decent transport systems and I am sure that the work you have done to date with the Government is welcomed by the majority of Londoners. Can you just respond to the work that is being done by my colleagues, the Liberal Democrats? It would appear that 35% of people told them on their online site that transport should be the top priority for the GLA budget. What would they say about the current TfL budget proposals? Would they find that acceptable?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

I am not sure. I think there is now quite a good identity amongst those South London boroughs. I think you are mistaken there. That is a very important point on behalf of South London. I think there is now a real identity amongst those boroughs.

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

Therefore, Londoners are already putting in and have done now for three years, £11 million a year, which is set for largely national responsibilities which your Government is not funding.

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

Well you did more or less actually; it was not very coded. If the TfL budget can stand a movement of £28 million do you accept that the £24-25 million or so which may be proposed as a reduction to its budget, in other words taking out most of the core on the precept, can also be coped with, given the scope for positive involvement?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

Changing the subject to the Thames Gateway Bridge, as you know, I support the principle of the bridge, but is not the position that as a consequence of the call-in by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister now we do not know when the inquiry will take place or how long it will last?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 26 January 2005

I have heard what you said about the important role of LDA in initiating green initiatives. Do you feel that one of the important reasons why that is is because of your links with business and business is one of the key polluters, whether running vehicle fleets or whether polluting in any other way? I was also very interested in my conversations with Manny Lewis, the Chief Executive, on the very important way in which the LDA sees encouraging sustainable economic growth through the development of transport hubs. Would you agree with Manny (Lewis) in his view that it would...