On Sun, 17 Oct 2004, John wrote:

In article , Angus Bryant
writes

Mr Montague wrote the report that led the Government to back the
project. The Treasury, TfL and London business leaders are working on a
funding package but it is understood that a rise in fares has been
ruled out. Higher business rates may be used but that is unlikely to
raise more than £2bn.

Civil servants have persuaded the Treasury to keep the project under
public control to minimise costs. "It will be publicly funded and
publicly cliented," said a well-placed source.

It will be a first if any government funded, directly managed project
comes in at anything under double the budget - dome, Scottish
parliament, portcullis annex to house of parliament, NHS computer
system, etc. etc.

True. However, it would be equally remarkable if any project managed
privately did it!

tom

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