In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

On Monday, 24 July 2017 15:59:57 UTC+1, Recliner wrote:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/trans...hris-grayling-
gives-backing-to-crossrail-2-a3594416.html

The £30 billion Crossrail 2 project took a major step forwards today as
Chris Grayling confirmed that he supported the scheme.

Why has everyone fallen for this guff from Grayling? He said a few
vaguely supportive words but has not given any go ahead nor committed
any money.

Think about where we were recently - TfL delivered the Strategic
Business Case to the DfT for approval. Nothing happened. We had an
election. Nothing happened. The Mayor, business leaders, London
Assembly all start shouting "why haven't you given the go ahead to
CR2?". Nothing happens until we get this meaningless statement which

a) does not mention the business case approval at all
b) does not guarantee any funding at all
c) makes the next round of consultation conditional.
d) sends TfL and the Mayor away to do more work on a completely
different funding package.
e) sends TfL and the Mayor away to "make the scheme affordable" as
clearly it currently isn't affordable if your name is Grayling
f) sends TfL and the Mayor away to confirm the route (i.e. cut it
back)
g) sends TfL and the Mayor away to remove uncertainty about the
safeguarding (e.g. scrap Chelsea station, stop wittering about an
eastern branch).

All yesterday's nonsense does is get the pressure off the DfT for a
few months, avoids the DfT making any commitments at all, gives the
Mayor and TfL a funding requirement that is the complete opposite of
what they submitted (they wanted to borrow and hypothecate future
revenue streams). There is no mention about a Land Value Capture Tax
that was rumoured to be Grayling's preference for review but the lack
of government majority no doubt means this can't be taken forward as
legislation would be needed.

The demands from Grayling for "up front" funding from TfL is a way of
trying to force the Mayor to scrap his fares freeze and implement
higher than inflation fare increases to create an annual funding
stream. Alternatively or even additionally it may also mean the TfL
precept being increased vastly or TfL's activities being scaled back
even more to generate funding for CR2. This is payback for every time
the Mayor has said "give me Southern to run", "let me run South
Eastern", "government operation of trains is useless", "you have to
freeze rail fares as I've done on the tube and DLR". Grayling hates
all this so time to show who's boss.

I know I am being very negative here but Grayling hates everything
Khan stands for. However he holds the power here as CR2 cannot
proceed without government funding nor can changes to NR services to
implement CR2 proceed without DfT sign off. I am sure there are a
thousand other issues which also need DfT / govt support. This
announcement is actually an exercise in power by Grayling as I am
sure Khan understands all too well. However he has no choice but to
do what Grayling wants otherwise he has to give up on CR2 and then
he'd be in the firing line - a result Grayling would no doubt be
delighted with.

Wow! Don't hold back, Paul! Not that I can fault what you say.

--
Colin Rosenstiel