TKD wrote:
(snip)
If there had been an elected body responsible for the government of London
at the time of rail privatisation and they had been given some authority over
rail services and ticketing in the London region this mess could have been
avoided. However, a governing body for one of the main world cities with a
remit covering all transport in its region was considered unnecessary by the
government of the day.

Indeed, it was an absurd situation and I'm glad it finally ended.

There were some interesting proposals generated IIRC by the Labour
Party, or perhaps some associated think tank, before the '97 election
which floated the idea of the proposed new London-area authority having
jurisdiction over an extended area beyond the limit 32 London Boroughs,
which I think included much of the Thames Estuary and possibly other
areas as well.

In a way the boundaries of TfL's proposed 'London Regional Rail
Authority' could be seen in the same light - i.e. as the city expanding
and exercising it's power over surrounding areas. However I think it's
a sensible idea as long as there's appropriate representation from
those authorities affected by this. I've a lot more faith in a TfL-led
public spirited approach than the current situation.

I'm just rambling... I'll stop now!