• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

I will indeed restrain myself, Mr Chairman, and remind the Mayor that in fact the Conservatives won the GLA elections. You only have to look at the votes to see that. I appreciate your popularity, Mr Mayor, but I also notice that Louise Bloom and the rest of the Socialists round to the apples on my extreme right all now seem to be in favour of congestion charging. May I remind you that 10% of all traffic coming into central London comes through my constituency? You have also suggested today that two sites in Newham, which is not an outer...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

To return to the question of your consultation programme, Mr Mayor. Obviously there are concerns about the level of response you are getting. The leaked paper from the Transport Strategy Steering Group last week tells us that, as of 6 September, the response was 3%; you are telling us today, a week later, that it is about 5%. Another survey, by Wandsworth Council, will have a much better response rate, not least because the first question they ask is, "In principle, are you for or against congestion charging?" That is not even asked in your consultation. The leaked paper that...

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

I wanted to ask about the impact on the immediate surrounding area. I represent Hackney and Islington, and the current proposed boundary cuts through the middle of those boroughs. I wonder what proposals you are thinking and talking to senior colleagues about for ameliorating the impact on that boundary, perhaps through traffic management schemes and so on; and where the money for those schemes is supposed to come from.

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

Can I go back to the question of the boundary of the proposed zone? You said in connection with Tower Hamlets that it would be a matter for the people there to tell you that they would like the boundary extended out to the borough boundary on the edge of Newham. I do not dispute that, but does it not rather contradict what you are saying about listening to Londoners on the scheme in general? After all, why should the people of Tower Hamlets be in any different position from the people living on the west side of the zone...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

I think fair do's for all sides. I think I can do it this way. So far as congestion charging is concerned, I was interested in your reply referring, with apparent approbation, to the response of the two focus groups, particularly the observation that it was worthwhile - that, although this charge would not do much to reduce congestion, it would raise a lot of revenue for investment in London's transport infrastructure. I am concerned about how that sits with the evidence given to the transport scrutiny panel looking into congestion charging by Keith Gardner, and by Derek Turner -...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

On congestion charging, you and I have established that getting it right is more important than rushing. You have already said that improving public transport must come first, but what is still very vague is what that means in terms of short-term improvements to buses. At the moment, there is no clear guidance on that, so there are no criteria by which to judge whether you have improved public transport first. Secondly, you will need police to enforce bus lanes. When this went to the MPA, there was some discussion of whether your priorities should have any priority there. How...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

Are you aware, though, of the research showing that, although all new roads can generate increased traffic, river crossings do so to a considerably greater degree? Will you take that into account? Do we really need the sort of regeneration that is based on blighting local communities with more and more traffic, and causing excessive damage to our environment, rather than regeneration that is genuinely sustainable and looks to supporting local communities and protecting our environment?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

Before the election, you gave a pledge to people against the river crossing, and they said that you and I were equally wonderful during the campaign in opposing any road crossings. They want a guarantee, I think, that you are going to honour that pledge and not support any road crossings over the river.

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

On that basis, is it down to you, Mr Mayor, to organise celebrations in London for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002? If so, have you had any thoughts on the matter? I am happy to chair the committee if you are looking for a volunteer

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 13 September 2000

Would you regard £250,000, which I think is the cost of this events team, as somewhat high? If you did take it on, might you be able to get the cost down? Adding that to the £100,000 that you have for events and the £100,000 proposed for events for the cultural strategy group, what do you envisage the whole pot will be spent on? I assumed that the cost of the "real Millennium" celebrations this year was going to be met from outside.