Basil Jet wrote:
On 15/07/2019 10:30, Marland wrote:

Earnest Marples

I like it. Did your spell-checker do it?


Probably, I changed to News Tap about 18 months ago after using agent for
years when the laptop died
and I replaced it with an I pad.
Must look into the settings and see if the spell checker can be turned off
as it drives me potty.


GH

Marland wrote:
Basil Jet wrote:
On 15/07/2019 10:30, Marland wrote:

Earnest Marples

I like it. Did your spell-checker do it?


Probably, I changed to News Tap about 18 months ago after using agent for
years when the laptop died
and I replaced it with an I pad.
Must look into the settings and see if the spell checker can be turned off
as it drives me potty.


The spill chucker is part of the keyboard, not the app you're using it in.
Depending on which keyboard you're using, you may be able to turn off or
tune the auto correct feature. The keyboard I'm currently using (Padkeys)
has five levels of checking/correction available.

In message , at 15:47:50 on Sat, 13 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:

are you suggesting Khan should have chosen different contractors ?

I'm suggesting he should have had people monitoring what the contractors were doing,
and more to the point monitoring how well the TfL people supposed to be managing the
contractors were doing.

Really ? So its all Khan's fault ?

According to this

" Both the DfT and Transport for London (TfL) are joint sponsors
of the project, which is run through an "arms-length" body, Crossrail Ltd."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-47787367

So are you saying that's wrong, and that the Department for Transport
had no role to play in all of this ?

As I notice you haven't mentioned them up to now.

I mentioned it upthread, but Roland magisterially dismissed my comment.

I didn't contest it, if that's what you mean.

Me: The DfT is certainly involved, too.

Roland: In as subsidiary role. The Mayor's at the top of the pile.

Of course the DfT is involved, because the majority of the Crossrail
route is on existing NR corridors. Perhaps you have over-read the word
"joint" to mean "equal".

I didn't bother pursuing it, as Roland's in a particularly argumentative
mood today, even by his standards.

If by "argumentative" you mean sticking to my guns that the Mayor has he
primary supervisory role, not one anything to do with choosing
contractors (where you get the idea I suggested that, I have no idea).
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 16:12:56 on Sat, 13 Jul
2019, michael adams remarked:

It doesn't take a genius to ask a question like "has the software needed to run the
trains been delivered yet?".

But the delivery of the software and associated equipment may have
been dependent on the completion of other parts of the project
which was in the hands of other contractors.

That's not the point. When you are checking the progress of a project
there are certain easily defined milestones. One which crops up over and
over again for new trains is "the software".

And even if all the tunnels and platforms were ready on time, without
trains it's a bit embarrassing to have an opening ceremony.

But I digress. Having established that the software hasn't even been
delivered, at a time when normally one would have expected it to be well
into the testing phase, that should *ring an alarm bell*.

Later on, suitable questions can be asked about *why* it's all gone
pear-shaped (and why the Mayor wasn't warned about this earlier).

Very occasionally the answer will come back "actually, we are confident
the software will arrive in two weeks time, and against all the odds
we'll have finished testing it in eight weeks time".

At which point the project auditing person can say "OK, let's set up a
conference call for 15 days time, and pencil one in for nine week's
time, to see if it's all still on schedule".

Actually, you wouldn't; because even if the 15day call went well, you'd
schedule another for perhaps six weeks.
--
Roland Perry

Graeme Wall wrote:
On 13/07/2019 14:49, michael adams wrote:
"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...
In message , at 14:00:38 on Sat, 13
Jul 2019, michael adams remarked:

"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...
In message , at 14:44:13 on Fri, 12 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:

Mayor Sadiq Khan strengthened the scrutiny powers of Jacobs to reveal
problems with Crossrail and increase the project's transparency.

Is he trying to distance himself from the project's failings, despite being in charge
the last three and a bit years?

Being in charge ?

Anyone capable of taking overall charge of the largest infrastructure project in Europe
would command a far higher salary and have far fewer extraneous responsibilities, than
does the elected Mayor of London.

You are confusing strategic and operational.

Or put the other way, as with most levels in politics anyone capable of taking
overall charge of the largest infrastructure project in Europe - or any aspect
therein come to that wouldn't touch any such elected position with a bargepole.

The Mayor's entire role is to be in charge politically and strategically. Otherwise he
simply disappears in a puff of logic.

But the reasons the project has been delayed are purely operational.

The strategy was to hire contractors capable - as far as anyone could
judge of fulfilling their particular contracts on time and within
budget.

If the contractors failed to fulfil their contract on time and within
budget this will have for purely operational reasons which they failed
to consider when tendering for the project.

Or are you suggesting Khan should have chosen different contractors ?



How long has Khan been mayor?

When did Crossrail start?

When were the contractors appointed?


It's pretty clear from this latest report that the DfT is still very much
involved with the governance of the Crossrail project:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49037205

Recliner wrote:
Graeme Wall wrote:
On 13/07/2019 14:49, michael adams wrote:
"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...
In message , at 14:00:38 on Sat, 13
Jul 2019, michael adams remarked:

"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...
In message , at 14:44:13 on Fri, 12 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:

Mayor Sadiq Khan strengthened the scrutiny powers of Jacobs to reveal
problems with Crossrail and increase the project's transparency.

Is he trying to distance himself from the project's failings, despite being in charge
the last three and a bit years?

Being in charge ?

Anyone capable of taking overall charge of the largest infrastructure project in Europe
would command a far higher salary and have far fewer extraneous responsibilities, than
does the elected Mayor of London.

You are confusing strategic and operational.

Or put the other way, as with most levels in politics anyone capable of taking
overall charge of the largest infrastructure project in Europe - or any aspect
therein come to that wouldn't touch any such elected position with a bargepole.

The Mayor's entire role is to be in charge politically and strategically. Otherwise he
simply disappears in a puff of logic.

But the reasons the project has been delayed are purely operational.

The strategy was to hire contractors capable - as far as anyone could
judge of fulfilling their particular contracts on time and within
budget.

If the contractors failed to fulfil their contract on time and within
budget this will have for purely operational reasons which they failed
to consider when tendering for the project.

Or are you suggesting Khan should have chosen different contractors ?



How long has Khan been mayor?

When did Crossrail start?

When were the contractors appointed?


It's pretty clear from this latest report that the DfT is still very much
involved with the governance of the Crossrail project:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49037205



According to that article it’s 60 miles from Reading to Heathrow?!?


Anna Noyd-Dryver

In message , at 08:35:17 on Fri, 19 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:

It's pretty clear from this latest report that the DfT is still very much
involved with the governance of the Crossrail project:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49037205

No it isn't. It just means they are covering their arse with a reflex
action when people suggest they should be pulling their rather small
levers inside TfL more strongly.
--
Roland Perry

On 19/07/2019 09:35, Recliner wrote:
Graeme Wall wrote:
On 13/07/2019 14:49, michael adams wrote:
"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...
In message , at 14:00:38 on Sat, 13
Jul 2019, michael adams remarked:

"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...
In message , at 14:44:13 on Fri, 12 Jul
2019, Recliner remarked:

Mayor Sadiq Khan strengthened the scrutiny powers of Jacobs to reveal
problems with Crossrail and increase the project's transparency.

Is he trying to distance himself from the project's failings, despite being in charge
the last three and a bit years?

Being in charge ?

Anyone capable of taking overall charge of the largest infrastructure project in Europe
would command a far higher salary and have far fewer extraneous responsibilities, than
does the elected Mayor of London.

You are confusing strategic and operational.

Or put the other way, as with most levels in politics anyone capable of taking
overall charge of the largest infrastructure project in Europe - or any aspect
therein come to that wouldn't touch any such elected position with a bargepole.

The Mayor's entire role is to be in charge politically and strategically. Otherwise he
simply disappears in a puff of logic.

But the reasons the project has been delayed are purely operational.

The strategy was to hire contractors capable - as far as anyone could
judge of fulfilling their particular contracts on time and within
budget.

If the contractors failed to fulfil their contract on time and within
budget this will have for purely operational reasons which they failed
to consider when tendering for the project.

Or are you suggesting Khan should have chosen different contractors ?



How long has Khan been mayor?

When did Crossrail start?

When were the contractors appointed?


It's pretty clear from this latest report that the DfT is still very much
involved with the governance of the Crossrail project:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49037205


So the answers are

2016

2009

Before 2009

Tell me how Khan could have appointed different contractors?

Boris was mayor when it started but Livingstone was mayor in the actual
run up, when, presumably, the contractors were appointed.



--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

On 14/07/2019 14:19, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 12:42:53 on
Sun, 14 Jul 2019, Recliner remarked:

How long has Khan been mayor?

When did Crossrail start?

When were the contractors appointed?

Exactly, he had nothing to do with appointing the contractors, and nor
did his predecessor. Would anyone *want* politicians choosing
contractors?

No-one suggested politicians should choose Crossrail[1] contractors.

Yes they did, hence my questions




--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

In message , at 10:01:02 on Sat, 20 Jul
2019, Graeme Wall remarked:

Or are you suggesting Khan should have chosen different contractors ?



How long has Khan been mayor?

When did Crossrail start?

When were the contractors appointed?

It's pretty clear from this latest report that the DfT is still very
much
involved with the governance of the Crossrail project:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49037205


So the answers are

2016

2009

Before 2009

Tell me how Khan could have appointed different contractors?

I thought this red herring had died.

When did I suggest Khan should be appointing contractors?
--
Roland Perry