On Jan 18, 2:52*pm, "Recliner" wrote:
"plcd1" wrote in message



Article here on BBC website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8465383.stm

and programme on Radio 4 this evening at 2000.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pxk9w

All about why Mr Prescott's 10 year transport plan didn't happen.
Might be worth a listen.

This bit certainly rings true:
"He had a weight not all transport ministers have had. Sometimes it's
been a job either for young ministers on the way up who can hardly wait
to get a better job, or for old ministers on the way down who resent
that they've been demoted."

The deputy prime minister wasn't like that, says Phil Goodwin

It was Prescott vs the Cabinet, DfT mandarin road charging paranoia,
spiralling light rail costs and the right-wing press. Oh, and the
motoring population, or at least the vocal minority claiming to
represent them. Prescott lost. In fact we all lost: crowded trains,
congested cities, almost the lowest cycling rate in Europe and 2 of
the promised 25 tram systems. Well done us.