Car Crash?

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders appeared at an informal meeting of the transport committee this morning. They are predicting dire consequences for their members during the recession.

In 2004 new car registrations peaked at over 2.6 million, but by Summer this year they had declined to around 2.4 million. Projections indicate that this figure will plunge to 1.9 million in 2009, with a slow recovery thereafter - but these are only projections, and they are getting worse as they are revised each month. One manufacturer stated that numbers of new registrations could continue to fall further and for longer.

This poses a problem for plans to improve emissions by introducing new technology, because if new cars are not selling, the new technology is not being used, even though it is now available.

The crash is causing long term problems way beyond the financial markets.

Moving On & Letting Go

After six years on the transport committee I am leaving to join the environment committee. My place will be taken by Andrew Boff.

Transport was always my special interest, no doubt inspired by my parents who bought me The London Game for my 7th birthday. I was the only boy in my school with a map of London Underground on my bedroom wall, and in North Yorkshire that was quite unusual.

I have really enjoyed the transport brief but it's time to move on and let go...

Oysters on Toast at the Budget Committee

Yesterday's budget committee heard from TfL about the future of the Oystercard.

Over the summer, the Oyster IT system crashed three times, enabling passengers to travel for free and losing TfL a large amount of revenue. Transys, the consortium who provide Oyster under a 1998 PFI contract, paid a considerable sum in compensation. This incident just confirmed TfL's decision to retender the contract in 2010, a decision that had already gained momentum before the failures.

In future TfL will seek shorter contracts, to reflect the pace of innovation, and breaking the package up, so as to encourage specialists to take on different parts of the task. They expect to save money by avoiding expensive PFI financing, and by saving money as technology gets cheaper. They think there are around half a dozen contractors with relevant experience of providing similar technology in other cities.

Future development of Oyster also looks exciting, with plans to allow its use on river services and to enable the purchase of small items, for example coffee and newspapers, during the journey. Ultimately Oyster could be loaded onto mobile phones which would be scanned as passengers passed through platform gates.

The Oyster brand is the property of Transys, so a rebranding exercise could be necessary if agreement cannot be reached with TfL, but they do not expect this to be expensive or to disrupt journeys.

The TfL experts were very impressive, which has not always been the case...

Transport Committee

Just catching up on last week's transport committee which agreed the future work programme and examined the thorny issue of train overcrowding.

20 mph Zones

Some boroughs reportedly want to introduce 20mph zones for all their roads - Lewisham is a prime suspect - but TfL won't provide them with the money. To have some boroughs adopt this whilst others make no changes seems crazy to me, actually I can't see why anyone would want to do it, because getting from A to B takes long enough now, but Jenny Jones is going to do an investigation into the possibilities. That is a bit like asking Dracula to investigate vegetarianism, but we await her conclusions with interest...

Cross River Tram

The report on last month's hearing was agreed by majority although the committee did note that the Conservative group think it is an unduly expensive scheme, probably unaffordable in the current financial climate, even if TfL does get its money back from Iceland.

Train Overcrowding

The committee heard from passenger representatives on suggestions to beat overcrowding on main line routes. The problem is particularly bad south of the river in places where the tubes don't go. One suggestion is to stop more of the express trains at inner London stations, which would help to spread the load but would slow the network down. Another idea is to abolish first class for commuter - as opposed to inter city - services. This seems like a good idea to me, as hardly anyone uses the first class sections whilst the rest of the train is like a sardine can. Often the only people in first class seem to be fare dodgers and other anti socials who see it as a way to raise two fingers to the rest of us.

we will be hearing from train operators next month.

Oxford Street

Victoria Borwick has asked to do a piece of work on the 'bus jam' in Oxford Street, looking at ways to free up road space and improve service times. This is not an easy problem to solve, but rerouting some services and turning others at each end of the street should be considered.

Congratulations

My fellow ward councillor in Elm Park, David Grantham, got married yesterday to Edwina. The service and reception were held at the Elvetham Hotel near Fleet. As a determinedly single person, I have great respect and admiration for people who make such a solemn and open ended commitment to one another.

I wish Mr and Mrs Grantham all the best for their future together.

Mayor's Question Time

Question Time this morning, and my first outing as group leader, although I have acted in the role on past occasions. The Labour people went racing off and used up their allotted time more quickly than usual, with the result that we got through all of our Conservative questions at a leisurely pace towards the end of the session.

The meeting attracted a packed audience for once, but we soon discovered that protesting tube cleaners - well their representatives anyway - had infiltrated. They interrupted twice, calling the mayor a liar and causing suspension of proceedings whilst they were persuaded to leave. Their tactics don't do much credit to their cause.


Bendy Buses

Labour and the Greens seem to be setting up a bendy bus preservation society (same members as the Ian Blair fan club), judging by today's efforts to force the mayor to keep the articulated monsters. I don't think it will catch on - no calls for a 'heritage route' using bendys for tourists, no requests from members of the public to buy a bendy for the back garden. Boris is adamant that we will see the back of these vehicles.


Economy of London

There was a lot of agonising about the future, diversifying beyond financial services, avoiding knee jerk regulation. Boris was quite upbeat, assuring us that the TfL investment programme - most especially Crossrail - would not suffer.


Traffic Lights

Richard Tracey sought a faster rephasing programme, reducing red phases and clearing some of the unnecessary jams. Other members had pleas of their own and the mayor agreed to press TfL for action, even considering the removal of traffic signals completely in some locations. With the lights at Admiralty Arch on green for just 8 seconds - blink and you miss it - a guaranteed minimum green phase somewhat longer than that would be considered for the capital.


Buses in Oxford Street

Victoria Borwick sought measures to reduce the permanent bus jam in Oxford Street. Perhaps some routes can be diverted, others might be terminated at each end of the street, after all this part of the route can't be helping their overall reliability.


Olympic Costs

Revelations that the contingency fund has already been dipped into after the athletes' village ran into credit crunch trouble. Everyone tries to put a brave face on it, especially Livingstone who was back in his customary place in the public gallery.

Audit Panel Reviews the Last Days of Livingstone

Not quite the highly publicised 'forensic audit', but the Assembly's own audit panel met this afternoon. On the agenda was a selection of dispassionate audit reports which gave a snapshot of the situation at City Hall in April, May and June this year. They show some of the chaos that greeted the new administration:

Budgetary Control

A random sample picked up the fact that two out of five budget holding managers could not gain access to vital monitoring information on the accounts database, which didn't seem to be a problem in those plentiful times. In the case of virements from one budget to another, a random sample found that two in ten had not been instigated by the budget holder. The system has now been made more accountable.

Older Peoples' Strategy

This Livingstone creation was managed by an 'advisory group' which had not met since April 2007! Auditors felt there was no clear view as to the role of the group, perhaps not surprisingly as no terms of reference could be found. Their 'action plan' had not been updated since September 2006. Nobody at the audit panel knew who the Chairman of the panel was, or the names of its members. This looks like a candidate for the current mayor's savings drive - after all, we won't miss what we've never had...

Accessible Communications

Weren't accessible, not clear on the website, or at the front desk. The 'Accessible Communications Working Group' had no terms of reference and had not reviewed the policy, but at least they had met, albeit 'irregularly'.

If you are going to boast that you provide translations into different languages and braille, it is inexcusable to fail to do so. Improvements have been promised and we will be reviewing progress in January.

Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices

Keeping track of these had been difficult, particularly in the days following the election. We were assured that all the ex advisors and members had now returned the GLA's equipment, after prompting in a few cases.

Bloomberg in London

Last night I was in the audience to hear the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg. Much of his speech and the questions, was dominated by the financial crisis currently engulfing both cities. Bloomberg;'s view is that there is no point trying to apportion blame when we should be working to solve the problem, however he did identify some practices which should not have been allowed to happen.

The selling on of debt, so that a creditor would eventually find they were owed by an organisation with no means to pay, was identified as a key problem. Likewise the practice of credit referencing agencies also providing consultancy on how to improve ratings to the same customers, was seen as a clash of interest. It's all too obvious in hindsight and I find it amazing that financial experts and supposedly bright - and well rewarded - professionals failed to spot these weaknesses developing.

Sack the managers, let the shareholders fall, but protect the customers, was Bloomberg's view.

The question of policing was also raised. Bloomberg has the power to hire and fire the police commissioner in New York and he was clear that London's Mayor should have the same power. There has been a lot of griping about 'politicising the police' lately, but of course it is the same people who want to bring 'democratic accountability' to the Met, and the two positions conflict because democracy cannot exist without politics.

The Birmingham Experience

Just back from the Conservative Party Conference, hosted by Birmingham for the first time in 75 years. No doubt different views will be expressed but I thought the venue was a huge improvement on previous seaside experiences. I had the best hotel room ever at a party conference (admittedly the standard is usually poor), which is important when you are speaking at meetings and networking. Being fresh and alert is vital and a clean, comfortable room is a big help.

The conference centre and hotel were confusing, but this is to be expected at a new venue. I got lost around the Bournemouth ICC at my first conference and the Blackpool Winter Gardens were always a maze. The hall was too small for many of the debates, so I hope we can use the larger Symphony Hall when we return in two years (this room was used for Cameron's address).


London Assembly Conservatives' Fringe Meeting

We hosted a lunchtime 'meet London Influentials' event which was very well attended, with two full sessions and a queue out of the door. The 'influentials' were mostly AMs but we also had blogger Guido Fawkes as a special guest. The format was based on speed dating where - I'm told - small groups get four minutes to question their guest before a whistle blows and the guests move to new groups. The atmosphere was lively and exciting, so expect to see this format used more widely in future. It really made a difference from all the 'sit, listen to speeches, and ask questions' meetings taking place elsewhere. Many thanks to Canary Wharf who sponsored our event.


Thames Gateway

I spoke at a lunchtime session on the Thames Gateway, alongside shadow minister Stewart Jackson MP, Lorraine Baldry and Theo Steel. Stewart caused some alarm when he said that spending on gateway projects needed to be audited for value by an incoming Conservative government, but in the current financial straits he is absolutely right. Every penny will need to be accounted for to ensure a return, and what a shame that it takes a financial crisis to restore what should be basic fiscal discipline.

I got a hard time over the 'Boris Island' airport study, which is attracting opposition from Kent and Essex authorities even before it is off the drawing board. Clearly the views of local people will need to figure strongly in any research which is done on this project.


Resilience and Flooding

I also appeared, alongside shadow resilience minister, Pauline Neville Jones, at a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) fringe meeting where designing buildings to resist attack was debated. Pauline is an expert on security issues so I stayed away from that topic and discussed the flood threat to London, which I do know a bit about.

The audience were quite technical and there were speakers from the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) and RIBA as well. RIBA are hosting a competition to design a flood resistant home and I'm looking forward to seeing the result of this exercise.


So now it's back to City Hall, with the words of David and Boris ringing in our ears. This party is looking more and more like a government in waiting.

Olympic Flag Flies at City Hall

Fantastic weather yesterday morning for the official flag raising on the Potter's Field. The two Olympic flags and the Union Flag were raised by our successful athletes after introductory speeches from Seb Coe, Tessa Jowell and Boris.

The Mayor was particularly keen to emphasise the limited nature of the Olympic budget. Not a penny more than the £9.3 billion already earmarked for the project, would be spent. As the flags rose, so did Tower Bridge - a nice touch.

With me in the picture is my excellent deputy, James Cleverly AM. Interesting that we are the two Conservative AMs who blog regularly.

New Sub Surface Trains

This morning I viewed a mock up of the new rolling stock which will run on the Metropolitan Line from 2010. The trains have lower floors to improve wheelchair access and more space for expected passenger growth.

Coaches are equipped with CCTV as standard as well as large indicators to provide passenger information. These will be particularly useful on the Metropolitan and District lines where trains serve several different destinations - and as someone who went to Shenfield after boarding the wrong train from Liverpool Street yesterday, I feel you can't provide too much detail for passengers...

New Conservative Group Officers at City Hall

Following today's group meeting, the new officer team are:

Leader: Roger Evans AM

Deputy Leader: James Cleverly AM

Whip: Dick Tracey AM

The group recorded its thanks to outgoing leader, Richard Barnes, who took us through the successful election in the Spring and has now moved on to devote his time to the duties of Deputy Mayor.

Freewheel 2008

Here is another example of how the tone of London government has changed for the better.

Today saw Freewheel 2008, the cycling festival, take to the streets of the capital. Under Ken the event was originally branded as 'Car Free Day' and its prime purpose seemed to be to bring disruption and discord to the streets. There was much anti motorist propaganda, as well as an anti globalisation 'reclaim the streets' undertone and no self respecting Conservative would be seen there.

Now it has morphed into a positive celebration of cycling. The Mall was full of all kinds of bikes being ridden by all kinds of people. Families enjoyed the sun and it looked like the best attended of these events so far. Like the recent Rise Festival, nobody seemed to be missing the left wing moralising that we came to expect.

I attended to show my support, along with prospective Church End councillor, Iseult Roche, pictured above with the bicycling Mayor.

Mayors Visit Havering

Today the Mayor of Havering, Cllr John Clark, hosted a visit to the borough and tour for other civic dignitaries. The Mayor of Waltham Forest attended, as well as the Civic Ambassadors for Lewisham and Newham, and several Mayors from boroughs in Kent.

We often praise the attractions to be found in the centre of town, but it is good to be able to show off our own local gems, all of which were open to the public as part of London Open House weekend.


St Andrew's Church

Also known as the 'horned church', after a carved bull's head which adorns the gable, this was our first stop. Unusual features include a fine oak beamed roof and a stained glass window unveiled in 1991 to mark the 600th anniversary of the church. The window depicts modern icons including the Spitfire and the Ford Fiesta, which both have links with the area.


Queen's Theatre

Situated in the centre of Hornchurch, this was our next stop and the picture was taken at the front door. The theatre is supported by the local council. Backstage the preparations for this year's panto, Dick Wittington, were well under way.


Upminster Windmill

This is one of only three surviving windmills in Greater London, and the only one north of the river. The smock mill is being lovingly restored by the Friends of Upminster Windmill and the sails actually turn (they tell me). The four floors are well preserved although 'elf n' safety' is making an unwelcome intrusion.


Bedfords Park

The tour finished up with a visit to Bedfords Park, which has won a prestigious Green Flag award. Covering several hundred acres in the north of the borough, the park includes a deer enclosure with some very fine specimens.

Fire Authority - Initial Budget Skirmishes

The Fire Authority met today. Together with the Mayor's two nominees, we are one short of a majority and - as everywhere - the other three parties have ganged up, although what they plan to do with their barely held power is not yet clear.

The Chairman, Brian Coleman, made it very clear that he will be seeking a 0% increase in the authority's budget next year. Given the financial pressures on Londoners, this has to be the correct approach, but it will involve making administrative cuts and some areas e.g. the Fire Brigade Museum at Southwark, are under threat. Interestingly the Lib Dems agreed that there should be savings, so Nick Clegg's message from the seaside is being heard loud and clear.

The main grumbles from the other groups were about lack of consultation, rather than concrete alternative proposals. A long budget setting process lies ahead.


Reversing Policy

The Brigade reported an increase in traffic accidents involving fire engines. The bumps and scrapes were happening not when racing to the scene of fires, as you might expect, but when reversing! It can't be easy, reversing a large vehicle in tight spaces, but a reversing policy is being introduced to ensure good practice is followed.


New Control Centre

As part of the government's plan to modernise emergency control centres around the country, London is to get a new state of the art centre. Unfortunately the government haven't come up with the money - sounds familiar - so we need to find £10 million over the next four years. This is a serious challenge to an authority with a relatively small budget, particularly as the current control centre dates from 2003 and is not yet obsolete.

Mayor's Answers

The answers to the written questions from last week are out today:


Gants Hill Station

Roger Evans: There are still major problems with flooding at Gants Hill Station. With reference to his answer to question 0885/2008, can the Mayor update the Assembly on what progress is being made by TfL in solving this long term problem?

Boris Johnson: TfL has been investigating this issue further as water has been observed running into the subway rather than backing up through the internal drainage system. Investigative works were undertaken and TfL will update you once the causes of the flooding are known and the timetable for resolution can be determined.

Meanwhile, TfL's contractor continues to check and clear the drainage channels within the subway monthly and emergency call out arrangements have been put in place.


A12 Footbridge

Roger Evans: Will the Mayor instruct TfL to re-examine the case for the replacement of the footbridge over the A12 as my constituents find the current situation completely unacceptable?

Boris Johnson: The Mawney Road footbridge over the A12 Eastern Avenue was removed in June 2006 following a vehicle strike. Providing a modern, compliant footbridge in the same location was considered.

However, a new structure that would be compliant with current accessibility legislation cannot be physically accommodated. The requirements of footbridges to meet the needs of the mobility impaired have changed since the construction of the original bridge and now require considerably more space for ramps. A new footbridge would require compulsory purchase orders to be served on a number of properties. The preferred solution remains to provide pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities on the eastern arm of the A12 / Mawney Road signalled junction.

The surface level crossing is currently scheduled for detailed design and implementation works commencing in 2009/10 with a likely completion in 2010/11, although works to deliver the 2012 Olympic Games may mean that these dates are subject to change.


372 Bus Route

Roger Evans: What call was there for TfL to re-route the 372 bus route down residential streets and streets with no history of regular heavy vehicle traffic?

Boris Johnson: TfL has proposed that the 372 be rerouted between Hornchurch and Elm Park. However no decisions have yet been made.

TfL is aware of the concerns that some people have raised about the 372 proposal. The next step is to undertake a full public consultation and TfL is discussing this with council officers.

Mayor's Questions

First question session of the new term yesterday. I took the opportunity to raise some pressing local matters:


Gallows Corner

The Mayor undertook to ensure the fastest possible repair work on the temporary flyover, however this is not expected to be completed until Summer 2009 - an imprecise deadline, and too long in any case. I raised concerns about the inspection regime which had allowed the structure to deteriorate to such an extent, and the mayor stated that TfL are reviewing their procedures - let's hope so, as there are several other temporary flyovers elsewhere in London.

Local business organisations have recently suggested that tolls from the Dartford Crossing could be used to pay for a more robust viaduct, and the mayor was happy to support such a proposal, assuming the money could be used at Gallows Corner.


Gants Hill

During a session on climate change and over population, I took the opportunity to discuss flooding in the subways at Gants Hill - on the basis that climate change was partly responsible and would only aggravate matters. The mayor has promised to get TfL to sort out the drains - which in my opinion are a more immediate problem than climate change, and should be easier to put right (although so far that has not been the case).


Planning

I urged the mayor to focus the London plan on providing quality homes rather than high quantity, dense, blocks of tiny flats. In Havering and Redbridge we want buy to live, not buy to let.


Olympics

I congratulated the mayor on his return from Beijing and urged him to keep the cost of 2012 under control. He pledged that the bill would not rise above the £9 billion (!) agreed by the previous mayor and the government.

Tram on the Edge

Transport committee considered the arguments around the proposed Cross River Tram this morning. The debate took the form of a seminar with invited guests, and an audience of around 80 people - no mean feat considering the committee meets during working hours and the holidays are over.

Amongst those present there was clearly support for the scheme, which would see Brixton and Peckham linked by separate lines to Waterloo Bridge, the tram then crossing the river and passing through Bloomsbury to Camden. However there was a vocal minority who opposed the tram, largely because of its effects on Somers Town and Bloomsbury.

Professor Stephen Glaister, lately of the TfL board, sounded a timely warning about funding the scheme in difficult times, pointing out the need to prioritise the many projects on TfL's drawing board. Going ahead with the tram means sacrificing something else, so TfL need to be clear about the costs and benefits. Considered against other projects, the tram is looking more like the sick wildebeest lagging at the back of the herd, as another London blogger recently commented.

Following the financial problems of Croydon Tramlink, involving the private sector in a finance deal is likely to prove difficult without paying them more to shoulder the risk.

Furthermore, raising the money from public sources would also be challenging. To borrow £1 billion for instance, would incur and interest payment of £140,000 per day. To raise £1 billion from fares would entail a fare increase of 10%, on top of the increases announced last week. And the £1 billion figure is no longer academic - because TfL predict the cost of Cross River Tram to be in the region of £1.3 billion, almost double what they predicted two years ago.

With the need to tighten belts and face the recession, Cross River Tram could be a goner.


Railway Overcrowding

The committee also undertook to carry out a review of overcrowding on main line railways in London. This is a hot topic and will prove interesting, particularly as the industry cannot even agree on a definition of overcrowding.


Dial A Ride

Complaints continue to pour in about the operation of dial a ride. There are plans to open a new depot and make changes to the system in October, so the committee agreed to carry out a review in March next year - a bit late in my opinion, but better late than not at all.

Budget Committee

The Mayor appeared before Thursday's budget committee and used the opportunity to announce his fares package for the coming year. This naturally overshadowed the rest of the business which covered budget plans for the Fire Authority and the London Development Agency.

Fares Package

Boris announced a fares increase of inflation plus 1% on average, although this will vary with some ticket types rising by less. He claims that this rise is needed to fix a 'black hole' left in the budget by the previous incumbent, although there were claims from other members that some of his new policies were adding the extra costs. I'm inclined to give the Mayor the benefit of the doubt for several reasons:

1. Changing this organisation is like turning a super tanker. Boris has only just started to bring in his policies so any costs incurred will be minimal. The TfL representative confirmed that new policies had not been considered when planning this fares package.

2. Livingstone had previous form. Four years ago he promised fare cuts before the election then put them up several months after he had won. History is repeating itself.

3. During the election correspondence from TfL emerged, showing that officials were concerned about the gap they had identified in the Livingstone's budget.

4. Livingstone in fact agreed the inflation plus 1% increase at a TfL board meeting which he chaired before the election. He then changed his decision as the election approached, causing consternation at TfL.

There are a lot of claims and counter claims being made, so I was pleased that the Mayor responded positively to my request that TfL's advice to his predecessor be released to committee members so we can see exactly who decided what, and when.

Meanwhile, there was good news on the 24 hour Freedom Pass, now due to go live with the new fares package in January. The cut price fares for claimants on income support have also been maintained, despite speculation that they would be abolished along with the Venezuela oil deal.

Fire Authority

Chairman Brian Coleman provided a typically assertive performance, telling the committee that he was aiming for zero growth in his budget. It will be challenging to turn around a settlement which has relied on raiding the reserves in recent years, but he had some interesting ideas, including the sharing of corporate functions with other GLA functional bodies - always possible since the creation of the GLA, but never before seen as a priority -, a review of training services, and plans to move the Fire Brigade Museum to a more accessible location.

Brian undertook to maintain the number of front line fire fighters and appliances, indeed there are plans to open a new fire station in Havering, the first new fire station in many years.

The authority will also fund resilience costs - equipping us to respond to terrorist attacks - if the government refuse to provide the money, as they have in the past.

London Development Agency

The previously troubled LDA quickly came under new management and chief executive, Peter Rogers, made his first appearance before the committee. He is rightly keen to establish new priorities with his board before speculating in a public forum, but he did indicate that future funding would be focused on larger projects where the returns would be more reliable and the burden of monitoring would be eased.

We were pleased to hear that board meetings would be held in public, and that a standing public item would allow discussion of the Mayor's directions to the authority. This level of transparency was one of the key recommendations from Patience Wheatcroft's forensic audit which followed the new Mayor's election.

So, a lot of ground was covered in a couple of hours. The committee plans to monitor future activities of the functional bodies and also plans to do some stand alone reviews, including an informative look at the true costs of transport policing. It promises to be a full and interesting year.

Western Extension Consultation Starts Today

This morning the mayor launches his consultation on the future of the congestion charge Western Extension. The extended zone has been controversial since it was introduced by the last mayor and has attracted opposition from local residents and traders groups. The zone was a contributory factor in Kit Malthouse's stunning London election victory.

I don't know what the result will be, but in my opinion Boris would do well to abolish the extension which has harmed local business, failed to raise much revenue and serves as a perverse incentive for all the residents who receive a discount to drive their cars more often.

There was always a sniff of class warfare in Livingstone's decision. The planned Eastern Extension (covering largely Labour supporting areas) was never progressed and the proposal for a charge at Heathrow never got off the drawing board.

Playing Scrabble Without the Vowels

We were all pretty cheerful on May 2nd. Not only had Boris defeated Ken, against all the odds, we also had a larger Conservative group - now numbering eleven, over two fifths of the 25 strong London Assembly. But at the count one Labour member sounded a note of caution - 'You are about to discover that Assembly Members are lower than dirt on the mayor's shoes.' he predicted.

Well, thanks to a less dictatorial approach from Boris, that particular prediction has not come to pass, but members who spent the last eight years in opposition have had to adjust to a new role - opposing the opposition, as it were. The powers of the Assembly are severely limited in any case, and I used to describe the role as 'Playing Scrabble without the vowels', yet this is even more the case for a group supporting the mayor, with opportunities for scrutiny severely curtailed. In eight years Labour never really got the hang of it, hence the dirt on shoes analogy.

So as the GLA prepares to return to work in September, it is timely to ask the question 'What is the purpose of the Conservative group?'


Safeguarding the Budget

The only opportunity the Assembly has to restrict the mayor's activities comes with the budget vote, for he needs our approval for his plans. However he only requires the support of a third of the members and some quick arithmetic shows that 11 Conservatives can block the proposals of the other 14 members, assuming the other four parties can get their act together and agree on what they want.

But I believe the role should be greater than just protecting the mayor's budget. We need to actively promote his proposals, across our constituencies, from Havering to Hillingdon, from Barnet to Bromley. There is a great opportunity for AMs to sell London Conservative policy, but it will require detailed liaison between the group and the mayor's team, well in advance of the budget debate in the New Year.


Question Time

Every month AMs enjoy the privilege of questioning the mayor at a Wednesday morning session screened on the Parliament Channel. Labour always struggled with this under Ken, with some members pushing too far and arousing his anger, whilst others asked toady questions placed by the mayor's team or even tried to provide answers instead of the mayor. The performance of sycophantic Labour backbenchers at PMQs provides a textbook example of behaviour to avoid.

So how do we help the mayor and Londoners, without toadying? I believe that the answer lies in constituency based questions. I know that my caseload has exploded since the election. There was a huge turnout in May and those voters now reasonably expect Boris and his AMs to solve their problems. The functional bodies that make up the GLA can be infuriatingly slow at resolving constituency matters, so what better way to create urgency - and publicity - than to raise them at question time? Concerns about bus routes and police response times may appear tediously parochial, but our constituents expect us to be able to address them.


Functional Bodies

The law requires the mayor to appoint some members in executive or semi executive roles. A statutory deputy mayor must be appointed from the assembly - a role admirably filled by my colleague Richard Barnes. AMs have to be appointed to the Police Authority and the Fire Authority, ensuring that most members end up with some executive role. Boris has also appointed an AM - James Cleverly - to the London Development Agency board.

Beyond this, Boris has appointed outsiders to major roles, often because the complex legislation leaves him with little alternative, but also to bring in the specialist skills and experience that he requires. Unfortunately there have been several high profile casualties, but a glance at Labour's Government of All The Talents (GOAT), demonstrates that appointing non politicians can be risky.

With a mayor's office that is worked off its feet, there is certainly an opportunity to exploit AMs' experience to a greater extent in the coming four years.


Scrutiny

The bread and butter work of the Assembly is scrutiny of the mayor, and we have learned enough in eight years to do it well, within the constraints imposed by the GLA act. The initial response of the other parties to their defeat was to gang up and exclude the Conservative members from every influential scrutiny chair. This leaves them attempting to run the Assembly with just 13 AMs (having also excluded the BNP member), a considerable challenge for four years.

We can expect the committees to keep up a constant barrage of complaints, some justified but many insignificant, indeed we have already seen this during the appointment of mayoral advisors - a process which would have benefited from constructive scrutiny rather than the constant carping which actually took place.

I see Conservative AMs having a role in applying some realism to the scrutiny process, highlighting genuine findings amongst the morass of unfounded grumbling which could easily be the result of one sided scrutiny.


We are aware of the need to meet voters' expectations and to make a difference to our capital over the next four years - and the time will fly. Boris will be judged most stringently on his performance in the job, but the Assembly elections take place at the same time and a reaction against the mayor is certain to drag down many of the Conservative AMs in its wake. We are all in this together - as David Cameron would say.

Everytime I go Away...

I've just returned from a week in North Yorkshire which was great because I got to see my family, including Joe, my 2 year old nephew who is growing up very fast. The other good thing is that mobile phone reception is a bit patchy up there, so I was blissfully incommunicado for a few days. The message that Tim Parker had stood down as TfL chairman and first deputy mayor did get through - rendering my last post out of date literally overnight.

Funny thing - last time I went away, to Sorrento, I was 'enjoying' an English newspaper over lunch on the terrace high above the harbour, and I was equally surprised to read of Ray Lewis's resignation as deputy mayor.

We've only got four deputy mayor's left now, so I'm going to spend the rest of the year resolutely in London, just in case I'm jinxing them. I might just risk going to Birmingham for the party conference...

Board of TfL Named

The Mayor has announced the board of transport for London:

Chairman Tim Parker, about whom much has already been written. The mayor sees Parker as 'Agrippa to his Octavian'.

Deputy Chairman Christopher Garnett, formerly chief executive of GNER and a member of the previous TfL board. Good to see someone with practical experience of running a railway occupying this position.

Members:

Kulveer Ranger, the mayor's director of transport policy.

Stephen Norris, who needs no introduction amongst Londoners.

Tony West, former assistant general secretary of ASLEF. The board is clearly going to be a 'big tent'.

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, yes the Paralympic medal winner joins the board and will be able to raise mobility issues. Her appointment is likely to be the big news story here.

Bob Oddy, representing the LTDA. About time that black cab drivers got a voice on the board.

Steve Wright, representing the private hire taxi trade.

Eva Lindholm, previously on the board, a director of JP Morgan, giving the City a stake in the board.

Keith Williams, chief finance officer for British Airways. Should make for an interesting discussion when the third runway is raised.

Patrick O'Keeffe, deputy regional secretary for Unite, another 'big tent' appointment, on the TfL board since 2004.

Peter Anderson, director of finance for Canary Wharf Group plc.

Judith Hunt, another member of the previous board, a consultant in leadership, equality, race and diversity issues.

Sir Mike Hodgkinson, formerly chairman of the Post Office.

Charles Belcher, formerly Chairman of National Rail Enquiries Ltd.

Daniel Moylan, deputy leader of Kensington and Chelsea. This is a welcome affirmation of the mayor's promise to work more closely with the boroughs.


All in all, an interesting and diverse group. Some of the industry expertise is very welcome, as are the voices for black cab drivers, private hire and the London boroughs. Did we need to keep on quite so many of Livingstone's old appointees? I suppose that some measure of continuity is wise.

Oyster Cards at Romford Station

I've had a go at National Express in the Romford Recorder this week. The story, at www.romfordrecorder.co.uk concerns the lack of facilities for pre paid oyster card users at Romford station. This is an ongoing disgrace which discriminates against Romford residents by denying them access to cheaper oyster 'pay as you go' fares. There are two issues:

First, the main line rail companies refuse to accept oyster pre paid tickets - as opposed to oyster travelcards which are accepted - because they don't want to incur the costs of installing oyster readers at every station. This would require the introduction of ticket barriers at many places, Gidea Park and Harold Wood being good examples, and they are resisting the extra expense. They seem not to realise that the barriers will be a benefit in themselves, restricting access to the platform and improving safety in many places. Livingstone did his best to get a deal and Boris seems to be making progress with some operators, but their foot dragging has to stop.

Second, the ticket barriers at Romford cannot read oyster cards of any type including travelcards. This means that oyster holders have to queue on the stairs to exit the station via a tiny gap where the station staff check the tickets with hand held machines. The staff are great, and long suffering, but the same can't be said of the inspectors who are sometimes drafted in. New barriers have been promised for months but again no progress from National Express.

We all want to stop ticket evasion, but a lot of people who are fined genuinely believe that their oyster pre paid ticket is valid, and after all they have paid their fare so the injustice of a fine is pretty obvious. Better information for travellers at Liverpool Street and Stratford stations would be a good start.

Motor Show Heads East

This year the Motor Show is taking place at Excel in Docklands, and it is well worth a visit. I was there on Thursday, along with my fellow assembly member, Victoria Borwick. there is a strong focus on alternative fuels this year, with electricity, hydrogen cells and hybrid engines all featuring strongly. There is also much satisfaction that the new London regime is more car friendly and recognises that many people need their cars. But it's not just about selling vehicles - TfL and the Department for Transport also have stands providing information about fuel efficiancy and safe driving.

Despite the credit crunch, oil price hikes and fears of climate change, there were plenty of visitors, and some of the exhibits were quite crowded.

Gallows Corner - Further Delays

According to the Romford Recorder, the work at Gallows Corner will now take even longer as TfL have discovered corrosion in the safety railings that prevent cars falling onto the roundabout beneath the flyover. Meanwhile the overpass is going to be opened to traffic in one direction only.

Coincidentally, I am due to receive a briefing from TfL on the work here, some time next week. Let's hope they have some good news.

Visit to GE 19

This morning the transport committee visited the East London Line works at Shoreditch. We wanted an explanation for the incident which took place in May at Bridge GE 19, shown in the picture.

The bridge is a truly immense steel structure which will carry the East London Line over the tracks coming out of Liverpool Street to the new Shoreditch High Street station, then on to the viaduct running north to Dalston. Climbing out of the old line's cutting, the bridge is on a 1:30 slope - steep for a railway.

Investigations are still in process but it appears that having slowly pushed the structure into position over the line, some of the temporary bearings on the East abutment slipped out, causing the whole bridge to drop by around 20mm. This in turn tilted the bridge and materials resting on it toppled off, landing on the railway below where they were struck by a train leaving Liverpool Street.

Things could have been much worse, but London Underground and Network Rail are now working with their contractors to rescue the timetable and the bridge work will be completed on target later this year.

It's The Cid

In today's Guardian columnist Tristram Hunt, urges Labour to let Livingstone go and move on. In a well written piece he notes that:

The raw psephological truth is that Livingstone's rainbow coalition was not enough to keep him in office in 2008. His studious nurturing of a radical, internationalist, urban core saw him lose the vote of the suburbs and white working class. Outside central London, the electoral map was daubed deep blue. And no number of press releases, Today programme phone ins or fringe speaking engagements is going to bring those votes back for Ken.

The real loser is the London Labour party. To win back City Hall, the party needs to rid itself of the Livingstone past and speak afresh to the capitals' needs. But it can't begin to honestly analyse Livingstone's failings and develop new strategies if the former mayor is still dictating the debate.

Tristram makes a good argument, but he is a voice in the wilderness if attitudes at City Hall are anything to go by. Labour members grab scrutiny posts on the grounds that only they can hold a Conservative mayor to account (a tall order given the weakening of Assembly powers at the hands of their own government), yet they also cling on to executive positions in the functional bodies like limpets exposed by the ebbing tide.

Meanwhile the ex mayor returns regularly, the above picture taken at Question Time last week, propped up in the public gallery to give heart to his dismayed followers, much as the leader's corpse was strapped to his horse at the end of the Hollywood epic, El Cid.

Almost two months after the election, Labour don't even understand that they lost, let alone why it happened and what they should do about it.

Boris Saves the Bus

On Tuesday afternoon a delegation from Romford visited City Hall to deliver a petition calling for the retention of the 500 bus service and an improvement to public transport provision in Havering-atte-Bower. Arriva's plans to axe the route would leave the village and St Francis' Hospice without any access to public transport, despite TfL's stated commitment that every Londoner should be within 400 metres of a bus route.

The Mayor received the petition and met with myself, Andrew Rosindell MP, Cllr Michael White and other local councillors. We had a long discussion with several alternatives considered and the result is that TfL have offered to operate a service between Romford Station and Passingford Bridge, which would serve the village.

On its own it is not enough and the service really needs to be more frequent and more reliable, but at least a service will be in place to cover for the 500 when it is withdrawn in July.

Fiesta!

The weather stayed fine for the Elm Park Fiesta on Saturday. The picture shows Cllr Pam Light, the Deputy Mayor of Havering, opening the day's festivities accompanied by local MP James Brokenshire.

I was on hand along with my colleague Cllr David Grantham and parliamentary candidate Simon Jones, so when someone was needed to blow up inflatable palm trees and hand out programmes there was plenty of help available.

The local traders really make an effort with the Fiesta, which attracts a lot of extra business to the shopping centre. This year they produced a calendar and commemorative stamps to mark the occasion.

Still Waiting

On Wednesday I visited St Francis' Hospice in Havering-atte-Bower. the bus stop pictured is their only public transport link and even that one bus service - the 500 operated by Arriva - is soon to cease.

Staff at the hospice and visiting relatives will have no alternative other than to drive. There is also a brand new educational centre at the hospice, which is used by health authorities and medical professionals from around north east London. How will those people travel there?

I was also surprised to see how new the bus shelter in the picture is. Clearly TfL must have failed to foresee the future, installing a shelter and sign so soon before the service will cease. They will remain, a monument to bad planning.

I have a meeting next week with Boris to discuss how bus services can be retained and improved in Havering-atte-Bower. I will also be suggesting that he visits the hospice to see the good work being done there.

London Travelwatch

Conflict yesterday morning when the Labour controlled transport committee voted to sack the chairman of London Travelwatch, Brian Cooke, following comments he made giving his support to Boris during the campaign. A bit over the top - we certainly voted against the decision, and the green member abstained - but Labour, their vision still clouded by a red mist, steamrollered the decision through with support from the Lib Dems.

Meanwhile Travelwatch are advertising places on their board at www.Londontravelwatch.org.uk/vacancies.php . The board represents consumers in London and the Home Counties, but the applications are usually dominated by producer interests and people from inner London. Better representation of outer London would be a very good thing, so why not visit the Travelwatch site and see if you could help.

It's That Bridge Again

Back in January, Liverpool Street Station was closed for two days longer than expected because of work on demolishing a bridge over the line, which ran late. Perhaps there is a jinx - part of the new bridge fell onto the line last night, leading once again to the closure of the station.

Passengers on a fast train leaving the station had a lucky escape when the driver managed to brake in time and keep the train on the tracks. Passengers on other trains were left stranded and eventually walked to safety along the tracks. I just missed the incident, passing through the area on a train into town about thirty minutes before the debris fell. The return journey later in the evening involved taking the Central Line to Newbury Park then the 66 bus to Romford.

The station was closed this morning but the good news is that Liverpool Street is now open again and services are getting back to normal.

UPDATE: Today's Evening Standard report that TfL contractors have been banned from the site by Network Rail until the accident investigation is complete.

Mayor's Answers

Written answers are now available from last week's Question Time. A record of the verbal exchange will soon be cleared by the Assembly Chair:

GANTS HILL STATION

Roger Evans: Can the Mayor ensure that TfL reinstate fortnightly cleaning of Gants Hill Station as a matter of urgency?

Boris Johnson: It is important that station facilities, including the subway, remain at a good standard of cleanliness for the safety, comfort and convenience of users. I will ask TfL to liaise with Redbridge Council to see how they can better work together to improve the conditions at this location. This will include reviewing the frequency of the subway cleansing.

GALLOWS CORNER

Roger Evans: Can the Mayor arrange a TfL briefing on the work currently being done at Gallows Corner and plans for the future?

Boris Johnson: Certainly. TfL will be in touch with your office to arrange a suitable time and date.

MAYBANK ROAD / MULBERRY WAY SUBWAY CCTV

Roger Evans: Can the Mayor instruct TfL to install CCTV cameras in the subway between Maybank Road and Mulberry Way?

Boris Johnson: TfL is aware of the concerns of local people regarding personal security and anti social behaviour and that the London Borough of Redbridge would be content to monitor CCTV cameras provided that TfL secure funding for their installation. I have asked TfL to prepare a business case for CCTV camera provision, to determine the case for funding this issue against competing demands.

Boris Johnson Faces First Question Time

On Wednesday Boris took questions from the London Assembly.

The question time format provides a useful opportunity to raise constituency matters, so I started by asking about the withdrawal of bus route 500 which serves Havering-Atte-Bower. For some years now we have been trying to get TfL to provide a decent bus service to the village, not only for local people, but also for visitors and staff travelling to St Francis' Hospice, including up to 20 day patients. Livingstone's administration always refused to consider providing a service, preferring to focus their efforts on inner London. Boris made a good start by expressing support and agreeing to meet with myself and Romford MP, Andrew Rosindell, to discuss possible solutions, including extending existing bus services to the village.

I also raised the level of cleaning in the Gants Hill subways, and the Mayor has promised to have this reviewed.

Labour members chose to snipe away, with a puerile stunt involving a cycling helmet and detailed questions which no reasonable person would expect to get an answer to without providing notice. Perhaps they were asleep for the last eight years, because they should have remembered that Livingstone never gave a detailed response, and the MQT format allowed him to avoid doing so - clearly they need to go away and rethink their approach, as with so many things...

And former politicians Peter Hulme Cross and Ken Livingstone were in the gallery, the latter looking sour and out of place. The quality of political groupies has declined since April.

Term Limits

I understand that Boris has written to the Government, asking them to impose a two term limit on the Mayor's job. The effect would be to prevent anyone serving longer than eight years in the post. This follows a failed attempt to insert a two term limit in the act which extended the GLA's powers recently.

Term limits are common in America, but are unheard of here, and I have mixed feelings. We showed that in London, it is possible to beat a strong incumbent who supposedly holds all the advantages, so is a limit really needed?

Term limits would have cut Margaret Thatcher's rule short in 1987, and ended Tony Blair's reign in 2005 - would this really have been a good thing?

For my own experience, I did three terms as a Waltham Forest councillor and by the end I was getting a bit stale, I would not have wanted to do four. On the other hand, I'm on my third term at the London Assembly and - thanks to the change of Mayor - it really does feel like a new job.

Now, I do think we should be writing to the Government asking them to end 'proportional representation' for the London elections, but that is a different story...

Term limits - good or bad?

New Brooms at City Hall

SJM asks how things have changed at City Hall. The atmosphere is different:

In the old days silence would fall when Conservative members entered the lift. Conversations ceased, papers were clutched to chests (to avoid a Caroline Flint style leak), backs pressed to walls. As you left the lift on the sixth floor, talking would resume...

Now the staff are more keen to speak to us. Several times people have asked me if I am one of the 'new intake' or the 'old guard', because there are plenty of new faces around. Amongst the existing staff there is relief that Boris has not pursued a scorched earth policy, and quite a number have found interesting new jobs working for him. Meanwhile, we have been bombarded with unsolicited CVs from people who want to work for Boris.

On the Mayor's floor, the new team is taking shape. The Mayor is gathering around him a London version of the Government of All Talents, with imaginative appointments including Ray Lewis and Kate Hoey, along with experienced Tories like Steven Norris. I have been up there more times in the last eight days than I did in the eight years that Livingstone was in charge. Old names above the office doors hark back to the past era, but many of them have gone elsewhere. Some changes are needed - under the old regime the floor was a maze of partitions and barriers (now being removed), and some of the offices were pretty grim, one being more like a lurid pink telephone kiosk than a place of work.

On the seventh floor the remnants of Labour, the Liberals and the Greens have had the mother of all battles over office space (despite having fewer members), however they did get their act together sufficiently to grab all the top Assembly jobs, shutting out the 11 Conservatives and the BNP member. Obviously they feel they can run the Assembly with just 13 members, but the prospects are not good as they tried and failed with 15 members eight years ago. Expect them to come crawling back for help within six months...

The Conservative group occupy the sixth floor once more. With seven new members, there is a lot of enthusiasm and climbing of the learning curve. Richard Barnes is group leader again, I am deputy leader again, and new member Richard Tracey is group whip. There has never been such a large political group at City Hall, so keeping everyone in the loop will be a challenge.

And BNP man Barnbrook has taken up residence in the office formerly used by UKIP (who became 'One London'). He raised a number of challenges at the assembly AGM and clearly sees himself as some sort of enfant terrible. However much we detest his views, he was democratically elected and has a right to play a full part in assembly committees, so we wait to see how he will interpret his role. He supported green member Darren Johnson in his bid to be deputy chair of the assembly...

Last of the Londoner

The Mayor has made good on his election promise and ceased publication of 'The Londoner', Livingstone's supportive propaganda sheet.

This move will save £2.9 million from the City Hall budget and Boris plans to invest £1 million of this in planting new street trees around London. This instead of cutting trees down to make newspapers. Where the trees will go is still to be decided, so any suggestions would be welcome - I will pass them on.

Under the old regime, Transport for London, the Met Police and of course the LDA, were forced to contribute to the cost of producing the Londoner. TfL had to buy three full pages of advertising in every issue. Only the Fire Brigade escaped the 'Londoner Tax' because members of its authority were brave enough to reject Livingstone's edict.

Boris has made a flying start in his first week - long may the new broom continue to sweep clean.

Thank You

The result of the election in Havering & Redbridge was as follows:

Roger Evans Conservative 78,493
Balvinder Saund Labour 35,468
Farrukh Islam Lib Dem 12,443
Lawrence Webb UKIP 12, 203
Ashley Gunstock Green 9,126
Leo Brookes English Democrat 6,487
Paula Warren Christian Peoples Party 5,533
Peter Thorogood Independent 3,450
Carole Vincent Left List 1,473

Giving a conservative majority of 43,025. The large turnout also helped to elect Boris Johnson and gives us a Conservative group on the Assembly of 11 - the largest political group to be elected to City Hall in the GLA's short history.

Can I thank everyone who campaigned for us and everyone who took the time to vote - this was a great result for democracy as well as my party. I return as the member for Havering & Redbridge, an area I am proud to represent, and I will work for all my constituents regardless of their politics, over the coming four years.

Winter Campaigning

We were out this morning, leafletting and meeting residents around Airfield Way in Hornchurch. Despite the unseasonal weather, we covered a lot of ground and got a generally positive response from people who want to see Boris win.

In this picture, I'm accompanied by James Brokenshire, the local MP, as we wait to cross the road. There has been a lot of new development on the east side of Airfield Way and the pedestrian crossings are no longer conveniently located for the people who have moved in. That is why I'm asking Havering Council to consider installing a new crossing in a better location.

Post Office Protest

Yesterday morning I spent several hours protesting outside post office in Woodford Avenue with local councillors. Feelings are strong and only one person refused to sign our petition, which Ilford North MP Lee Scott, intends to present to the government.

Many of the customers were older people who were worried about the extra distance the closure would force them to travel. I also spoke to a local businessman who was concerned about the security of the alternative post offices, and to a Labour supporter who was happy to sign our petition because he agreed with the cause.

Five post offices are slated for closure in Redbridge and there is widespread anger and concern. I worked for the Post Office for ten years back in the eighties when there was often talk of privatisation, but never of implementing cuts as deep as this. I can't understand their psychology, but one of their representatives is coming to see me on Monday, so perhaps they will explain.

And our London 'watchdog', Postwatch has been pretty toothless about this as well. Some of their comments show a resignation to the cuts, rather than a desire to fight for the customers.

Boris in Havering

The neighbourhood police team in Harold Wood are one of the most popular and successful teams in North East London, so it is no surprise that Conservative Mayoral Candidate, Boris Johnson, wanted to meet them and learn about their work.

Here he is pictured with PCSOs on bicycles which were purchased for them by local businesses. Boris heard how they had used their bikes to combat the 'mini moped' nuisance over the summer, chasing rogue drivers across country. Mini mopeds are now a thing of the past in Harold Hill.

Boris also visited the refurbished library and spoke to shoppers, who gave him a very enthuisiastic welcome.

He went on to be interviewed live by community radio station, Link FM and gave a well received speech at a packed dinner.

Special MQT Alert

The Mayor will be attending a special meeting of the Assembly on Thursday evening at City Hall to answer questions about some of the funding allegations that have been made in recent weeks. It promises to be a sparky meeting.

Mysteries of the LEZ

New LEZ signs have been proliferating around London recently. This sign is at the end of Stanley Road in North Chingford. But what is it telling us?

Stanley Road is a dead end - about 200 yards further on it is blocked by a railway line. Neighbouring roads are also dead ends, and they also have these new signs. Is the LEZ confined to these roads? - of course not. The sign isn't even on the boundary of the zone - you are in the LEZ whichever side of it you stand.

So why is it there?

I stand corrected - Station Road is the boundary of the zone, so the sign is correctly located. However I can understand the concerns of residents who cannot see why their short dead end roads are included in the zone. Perhaps in this case the railway line would have been a more suitable choice.

Leyton Campaign

Yesterday morning I joined campaigners in Leyton, where there is a by election caused by the well documented resignation of Labour councillor, Miranda Grell. There were a dozen of us and the reception we got was friendly, despite the traditionally low level of support we have enjoyed here. There were signs of activity from other parties - a couple of Labour people passed us in a car, there was one Liberal delivering newsletters (and quite a lot of Liberal posters) and Green party leaflets lying around.

The picture of local activists includes London Assembly candidate Alex Ellis, and Waltham Forest opposition leader Matt Davies.