KHOODEELAAR! TOLD YOU SO! That Crossrail is a diversion. That EXISTING transport infrastructure needs are more urgent than the diversionary Crossrail

1128 Hrs GMT London Thursday 19 March 2009:

KHOODEELAAR! TOLD YOU SO! That Crossrail is a diversion. That EXISTING transport infrastructure needs are more urgent than the diversionary Crossrail. That public money that has been allocated for Crossrail would be better spent on improving the existing infrastructure..A random look at this morning's [Thursday 19 March 2009] 'news' items about the alleged funding shortfall being claimed by 'Transport for London' once again shows just how callous the peddlers of Crossrail continue to be...How irresponsible..

[To be continued]

FROM THE Web site of the LONDON EVENING STANDARD:

HEADLINES:
Tributes for 'wonderful' Natasha..... Watchdog orders airport sell-off..... Monster Fritzl begs jury for mercy..... Crackdown on fraud to be unveiled..... Government confirms new migrant tax..... Monthly borrowing soars to £9bn..... Bodies found in search for florist..... Bullying claim soldiers returning..... Jade's sons make Mother's Day cards..... AA plea over 2p fuel duty increase.....
£1bn shortfall brings Tube upgrade to halt
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard
19.03.09

IMPROVEMENTS to Tube stations and the Underground network have been halted because of a £1billion funding shortfall, a report reveals today.

Plans to ease congestion, cool the tunnels in warm weather and install lifts and escalators may have to be shelved to allow Transport for London to focus on essential maintenance.

The cash crisis also means the refurbishment of up to 75 stations could be delayed by seven years.

The report by the London Assembly Transport Committee warns of a "funding crisis" due to increasing costs and the collapse of maintenance firm Metronet.

It was originally estimated that work by Tube Lines on the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern lines would cost £4.1billion.

However rising costs have meant this is now likely to be at least £1billion more, putting at risk plans for a signalling upgrade on the overcrowded Piccadilly line intended to provide 25 per cent more capacity.

In the report, outgoing London Underground boss Tim O'Toole describes completing the work as a "high-wire act". The document says: "The costs of work have risen dramatically and there is a looming funding crisis which could jeopardise the long-promised improvements.

"There is a consensus that it would be difficult and damaging to reduce the core programme of maintenance and work to increase the network's capacity. It is the peripheral projects that are initially at risk - tunnel cooling, congestion relief and schemes to provide step-free access."

In addition the work being carried out by Metronet on two thirds of the network has stalled after it went into administration and was transferred to TfL.

It means half of the 150 stations due for an upgrade by next year will not be completed until 2017. These include stations on the Bakerloo, Circle and District lines.

The report states: "Metronet was spectacularly inefficient. Metronet's legacy is apparent in a station refurbishment programme now years behind schedule."

TfL has already been told to find £2.4billion worth of efficiency savings - something Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy has admitted is proving difficult. Boris Johnson has called on the Government for additional funding but it has refused to give any more than the previously agreed £39 billion 10-year settlement.

Chair of the Transport Committee, Val Shawcross AM, said: "Our report provides a snapshot of a complex situation that will shape London Underground for many years to come. Any delayed or cancelled projects will have a real impact on people.

"I urge Transport for London to take our recommendations about reviewing its plan and publishing progress reports seriously - this information should be in the public domain. Maintaining and upgrading the Tube is absolutely vital and Londoners have a right to know how it is progressing."

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "We have already agreed a generous long-term settlement with TfL, providing more than £40billion for transport over the next 10 years.

"This took into account the possibility that the costs for delivering Tube improvements could be higher than originally envisaged, as well as providing funding for Crossrail. It is now for TfL to manage this to deliver the high-quality transport its users expect."

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