"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
...
This is partly to do with transport in London, as I think it probably
affects TfL (although I might be wrong).

I think you're wrong

I was interested to hear Michael Howard mention (very briefly) on his
Jeremy Paxman interview tonight that the Conservatives would abolish the
regional assemblies.

That struck me as odd originally, as they don't oppose the Scottish or
Welsh devolved authorities (more for the sake of "not playing into the
hands of the nationalists" than anything else), and I thought there
weren't any regional assemblies following the failed North East
referendum. Of course, that was stupid of me; I'm living in the only!

I don't their policty applies to the elected regional governments in London,
Scotland or Wales.

Instead there are several "regional assemblies" out there - effectively they
are unelected quango's that operate lots of policies on a regional level.

Examples of this kind of body a

http://www.nwra.gov.uk/
http://www.eera.gov.uk/
http://www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/
http://www.northeastassembly.gov.uk/

I believe these quangos were originally set up, in the expectation that the
elected regional assemblies would inherit the powers that these bodies now
have. Of course, that was before the referendum in the North East derailed
the government's plans - and I think its these the Conservatives plan to
abolish

Regards
Sunil