• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

Would it be helpful to remind you of the question, which is about relations with the boroughs?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

Key to delivering a lot of your transport and planning visions for outer London has to be partnership and co-operation with the boroughs. Until now, the relationship with the boroughs has been very poor. I understand from discussions with Bob Kiley and others that a charm initiative is under way to improve those relationships. Can you explain to us what you are going to do to try to realign your relationship with the boroughs, and whether it is going to be more productive in the second half of your term than it was in the first?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

Ken, I spent 18 hours in Southall last weekend, as I regularly spend time there, from celebrating Eid to meeting the various community groups and going around experiencing the problems with them. I invite you to come and spend time in Southall, because what you are saying shows that you do not understand the pressures we are under there.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

I am perceptive too, and I noticed that long answer mentioned the arrival of Crossrail travelling via Redbridge and Havering. Does that mean that you now favour the original Crossrail route via Ilford and Romford town centres? If it does, then I can tell you that that change of heart by you will be very welcome in the two boroughs that I represent.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

During our review of public transport in outer London, many witnesses told us that they thought outer London got a bad deal from Transport for London, in that most of the money is raised in outer London but spent in inner London. Transport for London have contested that view, but they have been unable to provide us with evidence of what the money is spent on and what we get for the taxes we pay in boroughs such as Havering and Redbridge. From your position as Chairman of Transport for London, will you take urgent action to ensure that we...

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

Can I return to the basis of the question - the Spatial Development Strategy in the suburbs? Ken, what you have said today about increasing the density in the suburbs disturbs me. I have in my constituency an area known as Southall, which is well known. Ealing council has followed your plans, your ideals, your wishes and your visions probably more closely than many others, and the effect is particularly felt in Southall, where they have pursued your housing density figures with a vengeance. The net problem is that the suburbs become overcrowded and over-dense. Traffic congestion increases, businesses are...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

Can you tell us how long it will be until we get the Cultural Strategy? Before you give me the answer you have already given, can you say when you last spoke to your Head of Culture, and what plans you have to introduce your cultural strategy? It is key to what is happening in the outer London boroughs: you know as well as I do that the well-being of tourism in London depends on you producing a Cultural Strategy.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

I want to return to the subject of outer London and to what you can do to help there. Do you accept that two thirds of all jobs are in outer London - let us get that into context - and that one of the busiest sectors over the last five years is around the creative and cultural industries such as tourism, hospitality, leisure and so on? Alongside your recent support, which we welcomed, for West End theatres after 11 September, what work are you doing to help theatres, museums and other cultural attractions in outer London? Can you assure...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

You know I am a fan of the tram. Currently four tram/guided bus schemes are being considered under the Transport Strategy. What are your thoughts about the phasing of those projects? Is there any prospect that all might be scheduled? When will the white smoke emerge?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 27 February 2002

Are they also going to look at the Perth experience, as you described it, which led to a 15% reduction, without, it says, additional cost to individuals? If we can achieve anything like that in outer London, that will be a major success.