[original thread on uk.railway]
[x-posted to uk.transport.london]

On Jun 9, 11:51 am, "Paul Scott"
wrote:
Although much forecast over the last few days, I thought I'd provide a link
to the DfT's press release, which lists all the supposed improvements to the
South Central area:

http://tinyurl.com/nrurl2


No big surprise. Please allow me some metrocentric comments on this...

It is worth pointing out that the many promised improvements to
services and stations in south London were lobbied for very hard by
TfL, under the Mayoralty of Ken Livingstone - TfL had a formal role in
the consultation process when drawing up the franchise specifications
and I'm pretty sure they were fairly instrumental in bringing these
issues to the fore. (Indeed many of the improvements to stations in
south London over the past few years have been at least part funded by
TfL.)

Whether the more laizzes-faire regime of Boris Johnson would pursue
these aims with such vigour when the next franchise with a London
element comes up remains to be seen. Of course Ken had the advantage
that the stars aligned for him, i.e. both he and central government
were the same colour. But I suggest Boris remembers the (admittedly
rather vague) promises he made to voters in the outer boroughs -
particularly in boroughs like Bromley and Bexley who were instrumental
in electing him - about improving their rail services, given that they
often feel a bit excluded from the rest of the London transport
network.

Anyway, a few of the promised improvements for south London are copied
below...

---quote---
* Longer suburban services made up of ten car trains, with delivery
starting in 2011 and being completed by 2013.

* Four trains per hour on most routes in South London until around
2300 Monday to Saturday and new late night services in South London on
Friday and Saturday nights with most routes running trains until 0030.

* Additional services in South London on Sundays with four trains per
hour on most routes.
[...]
In addition, new ticket gates will be installed at 22 stations (on top
of the 14 South London stations being gated prior to the franchise
commencement) and almost all South London stations will be staffed
from the first to last service of the day.
---/quote---


That all sounds like welcome news for south London.

Mizter T wrote:

Of course Ken had the advantage
that the stars aligned for him, i.e. both he and central government
were the same colour.


On the contrary, I think there was far more "clear blue water" between
Ken and Tony/Gordon than there ever could be between Boris and Gordon.

"Tony Polson" wrote in message

Mizter T wrote:

Of course Ken had the advantage
that the stars aligned for him, i.e. both he and central government
were the same colour.


On the contrary, I think there was far more "clear blue water" between
Ken and Tony/Gordon than there ever could be between Boris and Gordon.

Perhaps in the past, when Ken was suing the DfT, but they seemed to get
friendlier as time passed, and last week we were treated to the
astonishing spectacle of Ken going on TV to support Gordon as PM. Even
by political standards, that was a rare display of hypocrisy.

"Recliner" wrote:
"Tony Polson" wrote in message

Mizter T wrote:

Of course Ken had the advantage
that the stars aligned for him, i.e. both he and central government
were the same colour.


On the contrary, I think there was far more "clear blue water" between
Ken and Tony/Gordon than there ever could be between Boris and Gordon.

Perhaps in the past, when Ken was suing the DfT, but they seemed to get
friendlier as time passed, and last week we were treated to the
astonishing spectacle of Ken going on TV to support Gordon as PM. Even
by political standards, that was a rare display of hypocrisy.


I have no doubt that Ken realised his support would be seen by many,
both inside and outside politics, as a poisoned chalice.

Ken never forgave Gordon Brown for imposing the ridiculous London
Underground PFI on Transport for London. There can never have been a
more incompetent application of a public/private partnership. Pushing
it through against opposition from all sides was all Gordon's work.

"Tony Polson" wrote in message

"Recliner" wrote:
"Tony Polson" wrote in message

Mizter T wrote:

Of course Ken had the advantage
that the stars aligned for him, i.e. both he and central government
were the same colour.


On the contrary, I think there was far more "clear blue water"
between Ken and Tony/Gordon than there ever could be between Boris
and Gordon.

Perhaps in the past, when Ken was suing the DfT, but they seemed to
get friendlier as time passed, and last week we were treated to the
astonishing spectacle of Ken going on TV to support Gordon as PM.
Even by political standards, that was a rare display of hypocrisy.


I have no doubt that Ken realised his support would be seen by many,
both inside and outside politics, as a poisoned chalice.

Ken never forgave Gordon Brown for imposing the ridiculous London
Underground PFI on Transport for London. There can never have been a
more incompetent application of a public/private partnership. Pushing
it through against opposition from all sides was all Gordon's work.

As I recall, that madcap PPP scheme was dreamed up and pushed through by
Gordon's investment banking pal, Shriti Vadera. Let's be grateful that
we got Baron Adonis, rather than Baroness Vadera, as the boss of the
DfT!

"Recliner" wrote:

As I recall, that madcap PPP scheme was dreamed up and pushed through by
Gordon's investment banking pal, Shriti Vadera. Let's be grateful that
we got Baron Adonis, rather than Baroness Vadera, as the boss of the
DfT!


Shriti Vadera, roughly translated, probably means "Invites Anagrams".

;-)

On Jun 9, 1:59*pm, Tony Polson wrote:

Mizter T wrote:

Of course Ken had the advantage
that the stars aligned for him, i.e. both he and central government
were the same colour.

On the contrary, I think there was far more "clear blue water" between
Ken and Tony/Gordon than there ever could be between Boris and Gordon.

I disagree. Ken Livingstone was *very* successful in squeezing as much
money out of central government as he could. Additionally, he also
encouraged the government to devolve further powers to the GLA i.e.
the Mayor - the Greater London Authority Act 2007 gives the GLA more
responsibilities with regards to planning and policing, for example
(it was this Act that enabled the Mayor to chair the Met Police
Authority - which Boris subsequently took advantage of). He also
persuaded the DfT to give TfL control of the ex-Silverlink Metro
routes, which are now London Overground. And during the tenure of Ken,
central government agreed in principle the transfer of responsibility
for the construction of Crossrail to TfL - a very major project, to
which central government is investing serious money.

It's no secret at all that Ken Livingstone and Gordon Brown did not
get on very well on a more personal level - and of course Livingstone
was very critical of Brown for foisting the PPP on the Tube. No doubt,
the tribal Gordon Brown and (to a lesser extent) Tony Blair less less
than impressed with Livingstone's 'disloyalty' to the Labour party by
running as an independent in 2000 - but that of course came about as a
result of them working the Labour party machine to exclude Livingstone
from being a nominated as the Labour candidate for Mayor.

However this frosty beginning thawed fairly rapidly as the GLA - and
in particular TfL - under Livingstone demonstrated their capacity to
deliver. Tony Blair ended up eating his words on Livingstone, and
Gordon Brown managed to come to an accommodation with him.

I doubt Brown remotely likes Boris Johnson - he'd regard Bozza as an
indulgent quasi-aristocratic southern toff, in contrast to Brown's
more humble and puritanical roots.

Therefore I think it's right to say that one of the big reasons for
Ken's success as Mayor (cue dissenters) was that he managed to court
those in central government so effectively - and it was advantageous
that both he and the government were 'of the left' (a careful
description), and thus of the same hue. (After he'd rejoined the
party, of course.)

No doubt, Livingstone was of course inclined to be rather more left
wing, but he had come to a pragmatic accommodation with the way this
world worked and proceeded with his Mayoralty on this basis.

We shall see how Boris gets on when Cameron & co gets in - the
landscape will be rather different of course, as there isn't going to
be a lot of money swilling around. It's a bit hard to tell whether
'austerity Boris' is the result of his own belief in smaller
government, or a pragmatic position taken by him in the knowledge of
the forthcoming 'austerity' Tory government - I'd say it's probably a
mix of the two. The problem is that, apart from Crossrail, Boris isn't
acting as an advocate for any significant projects at the moment
('Borisport', the 'living bridge' and other bits and bobs are nothing
more than gimmicks). Of course the counterpoint to this is that public
spending has to be significantly reduced, so costly projects have to
be shelved.

Oh, I forgot the 'Borisbus'. We shall see about that...

On Jun 9, 2:40*pm, Tony Polson wrote:

"Recliner" wrote:

As I recall, that madcap PPP scheme was dreamed up and pushed through by
Gordon's investment banking pal, Shriti Vadera. Let's be grateful that
we got Baron Adonis, rather than Baroness Vadera, as the boss of the
DfT!

Shriti Vadera, roughly translated, probably means "Invites Anagrams".

;-)

Ha ha ha, very good!

Tony Polson wrote:
"Recliner" wrote:
As I recall, that madcap PPP scheme was dreamed up and pushed through by
Gordon's investment banking pal, Shriti Vadera. Let's be grateful that
we got Baron Adonis, rather than Baroness Vadera, as the boss of the
DfT!


Shriti Vadera, roughly translated, probably means "Invites Anagrams".

Wasn't that a murderous polecat in a Saki story?

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

In uk.transport.london message ecidnW1tpqaRP7PXnZ2dnUVZ8jqdnZ2d@brightv
iew.co.uk, Tue, 9 Jun 2009 18:55:24, Arthur Figgis
posted:
Tony Polson wrote:

Shriti Vadera, roughly translated, probably means "Invites
Anagrams".

She herself has many anagrams; some unfit for polite media, some perhaps
appropriate. Among the others : TRIVIA SHARED, RIVET A RADISH, I DIVERT
SARAH, HAD RARE VISIT.

Wasn't that a murderous polecat in a Saki story?

You're thinking of Sredni Vashtar, in 'The Chronicles of Clovis'.
Number Ten needs a Tobermory.

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