Major Watford projects face axe as spending slashed

From eWatford Observer - Thursday 24th June 2010

Three major spending projects that could have revolutionised travel in
Watford are facing the axe, as the new coalition government slashes
public spending.
The Watford Junction Interchange, the Croxley Rail Link and the
Watford to St Albans tram link have all fallen under the shadow of
looming public spending cuts, as the true scale of the country’s
financial woes becomes clear.
Politicians, however, who have promised to fight tooth and nail to
keep the projects alive and safeguard the jobs they may create.
The Watford Junction Interchange project would have seen a new
£32million link road connecting Colonial Way with St Albans Road,
proposals that would have improved traffic flow from the M1. Vehicles
must currently navigate the Ring Road and frequently congested St
Albans Road. The plans also included improved bus facilities, and up
to 1,400 new homes. A Town Hall meeting on Wednesday night heard that
funding for the road was now on hold.
The much debated Croxley Rail Link, meanwhile, will also be reviewed
by the Department for Transport, as it wrestles with a proposed 25 per
cent cut to its budget.
The project, to link the Metropolitan London Underground line with
Watford Junction station would have included the building of new
stations in Ascot Road, Vicarage Road Stadium, and Watford General
Hospital.
The St Albans Tram Link, unveiled with much fanfare by former
transport secretary Lord Adonis only in October last year, promised a
new and more efficient service along the Abbey Flyer Line, with more
carriages operating later into the night. Politicians fear it will
also face further scrutiny by the DFT.
MP Richard Harrington said he was already fighting the town’s case in
Parliament. He said: “This is my top priority. There’s been a lot of
work that’s gone into these projects and I will be fighting very, very
hard to secure them. I have arranged to see the minister [Teresa
Villiers, secretary of state for transport] to talk about these
projects and will also be meeting with the consultants for the
projects. Everybody, Watford Borough Council and Hertfordshire County
Council are working very hard together on this.”
Mayor Dorothy Thornhill added: “The bottom line is that all schemes
are going to be revaluated. But in the Watford Junction Interchange
and Croxley Rail Link we have good local schemes that are ready to go.
These are schemes that have good local support and have already had a
lot if work done on them. They are schemes that could be done and
should be done – schemes that would keep people in work.”
Mayor Thornhill also stressed that the Charter Place and Watford
Junction facade improvements (funded differently) would still be going
ahead.
Nigel Bell, deputy Labour group leader of Watford Borough Council,
said: “It is very disappointing because this is precisely the kind of
investment that we need at the moment. We needed these jobs for the
town.”
County Councillor Stephen Giles Medhurst, meanwhile, sounded a note of
optimism, stressing that the fight was still on.
He said: “You just can’t give up because someone says a project is
under review. You’ve got to keep going and keep making the argument
for investment. Let’s remember that no funding has definitely been
withdrawn yet.”
All will be hoping that the potential net long-term economic benefits
of the projects will eventually secure funding.
………………………………...................................... .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...........
John Burke
WRUG

"burkey" wrote in message
...
Major Watford projects face axe as spending slashed

From eWatford Observer - Thursday 24th June 2010

Three major spending projects that could have revolutionised travel in
Watford are facing the axe, as the new coalition government slashes
public spending.
The Watford Junction Interchange, the Croxley Rail Link and the
Watford to St Albans tram link have all fallen under the shadow of
looming public spending cuts, as the true scale of the country's
financial woes becomes clear.

Pure speculation.

Peter Fox



--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

On Jun 24, 5:40*pm, "PeterFoxDore" wrote:

"burkey" wrote:
Major Watford projects face axe as spending slashed

From eWatford Observer - Thursday 24th June 2010
[snip]

Pure speculation.

Er, hardly unfounded speculation though, given the 25% budget cut and
the fact these projects weren't amongst those that have been "re-
confirmed" by the new government. Though as the County Councillor
suggests, perhaps the fat lady hasn't sung yet and is still open to
persuasion...

"Mizter T" wrote in message
...

On Jun 24, 5:40 pm, "PeterFoxDore" wrote:

Pure speculation.

Er, hardly unfounded speculation though, given the 25% budget cut and
the fact these projects weren't amongst those that have been "re-
confirmed" by the new government. Though as the County Councillor
suggests, perhaps the fat lady hasn't sung yet and is still open to
persuasion...

There is a limit to how many projects can be confirmed in a budget speech
though. As an example, despite all the positive stuff about Crossrail a
week or two back, yesterday's 'Times' financial section seemed to suggest it
was a possibility for cancellation because it wasn't mentioned in the budget
speech...

Do budget speeches usually make a point of listing every known detail of a
departments planned expenditure?

Paul S

On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:52:43 +0100, "Paul Scott"
wrote:

"Mizter T" wrote in message
...

On Jun 24, 5:40 pm, "PeterFoxDore" wrote:

Pure speculation.

Er, hardly unfounded speculation though, given the 25% budget cut and
the fact these projects weren't amongst those that have been "re-
confirmed" by the new government. Though as the County Councillor
suggests, perhaps the fat lady hasn't sung yet and is still open to
persuasion...

There is a limit to how many projects can be confirmed in a budget speech
though. As an example, despite all the positive stuff about Crossrail a
week or two back, yesterday's 'Times' financial section seemed to suggest it
was a possibility for cancellation because it wasn't mentioned in the budget
speech...

Do budget speeches usually make a point of listing every known detail of a
departments planned expenditure?


The government made a particular effort to emphasise that projects
outside London and the South East were not being cut. That meant that
the future of projects in London and the South East was specifically
excluded from being mentioned.

"Bruce" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:52:43 +0100, "Paul Scott"
wrote:

"Mizter T" wrote in message
...

On Jun 24, 5:40 pm, "PeterFoxDore" wrote:

Pure speculation.

Er, hardly unfounded speculation though, given the 25% budget cut and
the fact these projects weren't amongst those that have been "re-
confirmed" by the new government. Though as the County Councillor
suggests, perhaps the fat lady hasn't sung yet and is still open to
persuasion...

There is a limit to how many projects can be confirmed in a budget speech
though. As an example, despite all the positive stuff about Crossrail a
week or two back, yesterday's 'Times' financial section seemed to suggest
it
was a possibility for cancellation because it wasn't mentioned in the
budget
speech...

Do budget speeches usually make a point of listing every known detail of a
departments planned expenditure?


The government made a particular effort to emphasise that projects
outside London and the South East were not being cut. That meant that
the future of projects in London and the South East was specifically
excluded from being mentioned.

That's my assumption - it's a political gesture, not a list of the 'saved'
projects with all absentees being cancelled.

Paul S

"Mizter T" wrote in message
...

On Jun 24, 5:40 pm, "PeterFoxDore" wrote:

"burkey" wrote:
Major Watford projects face axe as spending slashed

From eWatford Observer - Thursday 24th June 2010
[snip]

Pure speculation.

Er, hardly unfounded speculation though, given the 25% budget cut and
the fact these projects weren't amongst those that have been "re-
confirmed" by the new government. Though as the County Councillor
suggests, perhaps the fat lady hasn't sung yet and is still open to
persuasion...

It is unfounded. You could list nay proposal in the country and say that it
might be cut.

Peter Fox



--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:37:05 +0100, "Paul Scott"
wrote:
"Bruce" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:52:43 +0100, "Paul Scott"
wrote:

Do budget speeches usually make a point of listing every known detail of a
departments planned expenditure?

The government made a particular effort to emphasise that projects
outside London and the South East were not being cut. That meant that
the future of projects in London and the South East was specifically
excluded from being mentioned.

That's my assumption - it's a political gesture, not a list of the 'saved'
projects with all absentees being cancelled.


Exactly.

"PeterFoxDore" wrote in message
...

It is unfounded. You could list nay proposal in the country and say that
it might be cut.

I had to read the subject line several times. My first thought was "who is
this Major Watford, and what's he doing projecting a face axe?".

Regards

Jonathan