Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony Polson
I am bitterly disappointed that the extension of the Northern Line to
Battersea will be funded using taxpayers' money.
If you take into account all the Government help, from derelict land
grants for cleaning up the subsoil through all the sweeteners for
developers to paying £1 billion for the extension of the Northern
Line, one has to wonder whether the outlay of taxpayers' money will
ever be recouped.
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It is most unlikely that the taxpayer will ever see a sensible return on the money.
The extension is going to serve a housing development. Behind the housing
estate is the River Thames. Half a mile north is Vauxhall Station. Less than
half a mile south are Battersea Park and Queenstown Road. Wandsworth Road
and Clapham North Stations are not far away.
How many passengers who do not live in the proposed housing development
will use this extension? Not many. Will there be enough people using this
extension to finance an adequate repayment of the loan? Most unlikely.
There is - or was - a much more worthwhile possible extension of the Northern
Line from Kennington as I have explained before.