• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

I think that we would all agree on the desirability of having it in place for the Olympics but if it is not, Ken, as I understand it, the last part of the work would be invisible on a day?to?day basis because it would be the commissioning. Will you be urging the work at least to get to that stage so that London is not in a state of disruption at the time of the Olympics?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

One of the problems that we have had on the Tube over many years is that corners have been cut on major projects to achieve tight deadlines or to achieve tight cost figures. Can you given us an undertaking now that to achieve those targets that you have been talking about today, there will not be corners cut on Crossrail because it has to exist to serve Londoners for years after the Olympics have gone and the party is over?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

That would be helpful. Just listening to what you say about Crossrail, I appreciate that I think everyone supports Crossrail and everyone is very positive about it. You seem to think you can do it for less money than the Government claim it would cost and quicker than the Government claim it can be done because you have said that you might be able to get it in time for the Olympics. What do you base that difference of opinion on?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

I will join the Mayor and thousands of residents of East London, particularly in Hackney, in welcoming the East London line after some outrageous delays frankly. It does then bring us on to this next question about the East London line, which is the stations and I wondered what progress there had been on plans for new stations along the northern extension.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

That would be helpful. Just listening to what you say about Crossrail, I appreciate that I think everyone supports Crossrail and everyone is very positive about it. You seem to think you can do it for less money than the Government claim it would cost and quicker than the Government claim it can be done because you have said that you might be able to get it in time for the Olympics. What do you base that difference of opinion on?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

The private sector contribution to this project is obviously very important and we have heard different figures for this. Crossrail have told us that the most they think they can get from the private sector is about £5 billion. London First were saying around £2 billion the other day. Have you done any work to project the amount of private sector contribution there will be to the total cost of the scheme?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

But for East London line stations on the northern extension?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

That is great. In terms of the Olympics, it may be early days yet but I am trusting that you will, along with myself and others, be pushing for decent stations on the East London line perhaps to be part of the Olympic bid when we win in 2005.

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

I was thinking more of actual commercial development around or above or within the station building to help cross fund and therefore make sure that it happens rather than waiting for public sector funds.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 16 July 2003

I must say it is not common for this to happen but I share totally the Mayor's view that for an Assembly that is unanimously in support of Crossrail, some of its members have a remarkable way of demonstrating that support. Eeyore would probably be a good example on which they have been basing their performance today and in the end he found his tail. Perhaps some of those members who are so negative about this will find theirs as well. I wanted to clarify a couple of points. The first is that I have the Secretary of State's statement...