• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

As London is at the centre of a global travel path, I think we do have to be extra mindful of the dangers of an international epidemic. I appreciate that it is not your personal responsibility, however you do have responsibilities in London Resilience. Are you actually satisfied with the arrangements that have been put in place in the event that there is some kind of epidemic or pandemic?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

Given that only last year suspected `Bird Flu Virus' resulted in the slaughter of 30 million birds in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, do you not think it is strange that Val Shawcross is suddenly concerned now it has happened in Thailand?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

It was mentioned that Barnet Council has slashed cycle training, yet the council informs me it is still going on. Instead of an essential cycling centre it is taking place at schools where there will be more people who will take advantage of it and where people will learn to cycle in their own environment rather than somewhere which may be many miles away from where they live. Will that be an approach that will improve safety and encourage more people to take up cycling, which I believe are your own objectives?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

The Mayor seems to feel he is remarkably well informed on this subject. Barnet Council has actually given evidence to various committees on its approach to road humps, and you have said that you consider road humps to be an unfavourable solution to traffic management and you would much rather see cameras there instead. I am sure you will join us in applauding Barnet Council's decision to remove road humps where they are unsuitable, not across the board or across the borough, but when new schemes are put in place with updated safety features. What is your opinion?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

Do you feel the Assembly should unite in condemning the practices of a council which spends TfL money to remove traffic calming and pedestrian crossings from a stretch of road, considering TfL and London taxpayers have spent money on calming and safety issues for local residents in the last two or three years?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

If I could develop Darren Johnson's question about what you are going to do about this, clearly the GLA works on the basis of partnership with the boroughs and each year each borough is meant to submit to you a strategy for transport spending within its boundaries. I believe that you have reserve powers you can exercise in respect of that. How close are you to exercising such powers in respect of Barnet?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

Following the principle of a satirical news programme, I wonder whether the Assembly should keep a statutory tub of lard available to be put in the seats of absentees on occasions like this. The question is about the adequacy of consultation in the case of Barnet Council. In asking this question, I think we should note that earlier Angie Bray held up, almost biblically, the TfL consultation strategy document as a model of good practice. Do you think that Barnet follows that model?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

In terms of dealing with off-the-wall comments about cyclists, in last week's budget debate the Labour group leader, Toby Harris, commenting on our budget proposals to increase the cycling budget mentioned that the Greens want to give an extra £8.5 million to `fascist cyclists'. Do you think those are appropriate comments for the Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority to be making?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

So are you saying you will stop their road maintenance grant if they do not come up with a sensible policy?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 25 February 2004

It is not only an attack on cyclists, because they have illegally re-opened a road and got into trouble over that. That seems to have been ideology gone mad. They have been taking out traffic calming measures and putting drivers over pedestrians in new schemes that are coming forward. What are you going to do?