From Watford Observer online 15/07/06

Mixed bag for transport schemes

FUNDING for one major transport scheme in Watford was approved by the
Government last week, but another was found to still need more work.

About £13m will be spent on redeveloping Watford Junction Station
between 2009 and 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said.
However, the Croxley Rail Link, a plan to extend the Metropolitan Line
to Watford Junction, has yet to meet the appropriate conditions for
approval.

The DfT has said that it anticipates the scheme will be approved within
the next ten years but that it will need close scrutiny in terms of
value for money. It would take at least £50m to realise the proposed
extension.

continued...

News that the link has not yet been approved has been met with dismay
by Watford Friends of the Earth. Representative Terry Figg, said:
"We're extremely disappointed by this. It's been around for about ten
years and it would bring several benefits to Watford." Lara Hejazi, a
representative of Hertfordshire County Council, which is leading the
link project, insisted that it remained a priority scheme.

.................................................. .................................................. ...............................
John Burke
WRUG

burkey wrote:
However, the Croxley Rail Link, a plan to extend the Metropolitan Line
to Watford Junction, has yet to meet the appropriate conditions for
approval.

The DfT has said that it anticipates the scheme will be approved within
the next ten years but that it will need close scrutiny in terms of
value for money. It would take at least £50m to realise the proposed
extension.

Dunno how current the news on the Croxley link is - I had an email from
TfL's listed contact last week in which he said that HCC were to
resubmit their funding package to the DfT by "the end of this month"
but he wasn't able to say any more. Not that I've heard anything from
HCC or their consultants to confirm/challenge this - they haven't
responded to my last two emails asking them for news on progress.
(Perhaps I should use the magic words "freedom of information" in
future? That might help...)

THC

burkey wrote:
From Watford Observer online 15/07/06

Mixed bag for transport schemes

FUNDING for one major transport scheme in Watford was approved by the
Government last week, but another was found to still need more work.

About £13m will be spent on redeveloping Watford Junction Station
between 2009 and 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said.
However, the Croxley Rail Link, a plan to extend the Metropolitan Line
to Watford Junction, has yet to meet the appropriate conditions for
approval.

The DfT has said that it anticipates the scheme will be approved within
the next ten years but that it will need close scrutiny in terms of
value for money. It would take at least £50m to realise the proposed
extension.

continued...

News that the link has not yet been approved has been met with dismay
by Watford Friends of the Earth. Representative Terry Figg, said:
"We're extremely disappointed by this. It's been around for about ten
years and it would bring several benefits to Watford." Lara Hejazi, a
representative of Hertfordshire County Council, which is leading the
link project, insisted that it remained a priority scheme.

.................................................. .................................................. ..............................
John Burke
WRUG

£13m on redeveloping Watford Junc over a 7 year period. What are they
doing for God's sake that a mear £13m will take 7 years. Lets hope it
includes a safe crossing point for pedestrians to the station. I see
that the forecourt is still blocked off and when I enquired how much
longer it would be was told "what had it got to do with me".
Customer and I pay you wages immediately came to mind. The staff at
Watford certainly have an attitude problem.

Kevin

burkey wrote:
From Watford Observer online 15/07/06

Mixed bag for transport schemes

FUNDING for one major transport scheme in Watford was approved by the
Government last week, but another was found to still need more work.

About £13m will be spent on redeveloping Watford Junction Station
between 2009 and 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said.
However, the Croxley Rail Link, a plan to extend the Metropolitan Line
to Watford Junction, has yet to meet the appropriate conditions for
approval.

The DfT has said that it anticipates the scheme will be approved within
the next ten years but that it will need close scrutiny in terms of
value for money. It would take at least £50m to realise the proposed
extension.

continued...

News that the link has not yet been approved has been met with dismay
by Watford Friends of the Earth. Representative Terry Figg, said:
"We're extremely disappointed by this. It's been around for about ten
years and it would bring several benefits to Watford." Lara Hejazi, a
representative of Hertfordshire County Council, which is leading the
link project, insisted that it remained a priority scheme.

If our beloved politicians cannot deal with a simple project like the
Croxley Link, that gives enormous benefits for little outlay, what hope
is there for the UK's transportation infrastructure? This is very
disappointing.

Adrian.

wrote:

If our beloved politicians cannot deal with a simple project like the
Croxley Link, that gives enormous benefits for little outlay, what hope
is there for the UK's transportation infrastructure? This is very
disappointing.

Adrian.

The best part of £100m is not what I would call a little outlay but
compared to the likes of the Dome then it is peanuts.

kevin

Kev wrote:
wrote:

If our beloved politicians cannot deal with a simple project like the
Croxley Link, that gives enormous benefits for little outlay, what hope
is there for the UK's transportation infrastructure? This is very
disappointing.

Adrian.

The best part of £100m is not what I would call a little outlay but
compared to the likes of the Dome then it is peanuts.

kevin

Does this GBP100,000.000.00 factor in the money generated be
redeveloping Watford (Met.) station and the related RoW?

Adrian.

Solario wrote:
Does this GBP100,000.000.00 factor in the money generated be
redeveloping Watford (Met.) station and the related RoW?

Or the £18million promised by Ken through TfL's five-year investment
programme? I think not.

The most recent cost quoted for the Croxley Link was on the TfL site
and was £65m (2004 prices). I can't see how, even with construction
inflation, that the last two years would have seen a 50%+ increase in
this figure. Take away Ken's £18m from the last available price and
we're back to around £50million.

Put another eway, it's about half the cost of a white-elephant guided
busway in Cambridgeshire... ;-)

THC

THC wrote:
Solario wrote:
Does this GBP100,000.000.00 factor in the money generated be
redeveloping Watford (Met.) station and the related RoW?

Or the £18million promised by Ken through TfL's five-year investment
programme? I think not.

The most recent cost quoted for the Croxley Link was on the TfL site
and was £65m (2004 prices). I can't see how, even with construction
inflation, that the last two years would have seen a 50%+ increase in
this figure. Take away Ken's £18m from the last available price and
we're back to around £50million.

Put another eway, it's about half the cost of a white-elephant guided
busway in Cambridgeshire... ;-)

THC
This came up about a year ago and the price quoted was ninety something
million pounds, certainly not £65m. That was construction costs, I
assume. I have no idea what the source of funds was, ie did it include
any beneifits from redeveopment of Watford Met station.
I don't see what Ken's (not that it is his anyway) £18m has to do with
it.If it costs say £95m then it cost £95m, the fact that £18 come
from TfL or the EU for that matter doesn't affect what you are getting
for the best part of £100m.

Kevin