London Banter - View Single Post

John B · March 13th 06, 10:17 AM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.railway

wrote:

Try reading it properly. The Mayor can propose reductions (called
decrements) in service outside London (not just ones he was previously
funding) and can then use those 'savings' elsewhere, and not
necessarily for transport. He also only has to consult "Local Transport
Authorities", whatever they are, presumably the County Councils, and
the Regional Assemblies that the government are obsessed with, who
represent nobody, and most people have never heard of or want. There is
no consultation with local District Councils that are closest to the
residents of areas outside London.

The mayor can *propose* reductions, but he needs to get the relevant
local authority to agree to them. This will only happen in cases where
the change in funding would benefit the relevant readion (otherwise why
the hell would they agree? It's not as if the boundary-Greater-London
local government bodies are hotbeds of Ken-loving leftism).

In London, the regional assembly is responsible for transport and the
local district councils are not. This change has led to massive
improvements in the provision of transport across London. Applying a
similar model to neighbouring areas doesn't seem entirely ridiculous.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org