[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it! The
"Thameslink project" is the revised name Network Rail appear to use for
Thameslink 2000, though they've also used the term "Thameslink
Programme" in the past as well [1]. And the BBC uses the plain wrong
term of Thameslink 2012!

BBC News online story (replete with errors!):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6061960.stm

Network Rail press release:
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co...Categ oryID=2
or via http://tinyurl.com/yz66p8

Snippets from the Network Rail press release...

--------------------
THE £3.5BN THAMESLINK PROJECT CLEARS MAJOR HURDLE

Wednesday 18 October 2006 09:45

The transformation of the Thameslink route takes a big step forward
today as two key Government departments (Department for Transport and
Department for Communities & Local Government) agreed to grant planning
permission and legal powers to Network Rail to 're-build' the
Thameslink route.

[...]

The future of the £3.5bn project now rests on a funding decision.
Network Rail will work to support the Department for Transport as it
seeks to establish a funding mechanism. An early decision would enable
the company to deliver substantial passenger benefits before 2012.

[...]

Notes to Editors:

In a written statement to Parliament, the Secretary of State for
Transport and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government will today grant legal powers and planning consents to
Network Rail for the £3.5bn 'Thameslink Programme'. This does not
amount to a final go-ahead for the project as funding has yet to be
agreed

The Transport and Works Act Order gives planning permission and
statutory powers to Network Rail, together with listed building and
conservation area consents and consents for consequential rail
closures. It follows the recommendations of the planning
inspectorate's public inquiry last year into the scheme.

The scheme will take estimated seven years to build with the ability to
'pause' the scheme for the Olympics. The project will start to
deliver passenger benefits within the first three years
--------------------


I haven't been paying very close attention to developments - can anyone
provide some information as to how the Borough Market issue has been
resolved?

-----
[1] Network Rail - "Thameslink Programme"
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1326.aspx

Mizter T wrote:
The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it!

Why don't they put it on eBay, and say that the successful bidder will
get the project named after them!

Of course, there is always the chance that someone will bid twice as
much - ask to take the overpayment back in cash, pay with a bankers
draft and then request the whole project is transferred to Nigeria
where they're currently working on business...

Jonathan

"Mizter T" wrote

And the BBC uses the plain wrong term of Thameslink 2012!

On uk.r we usually use the plain wrong term of Thameslink 3000. ;-)

Peter

On 18 Oct 2006 06:33:30 -0700, "Mizter T" wrote:

[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it! The
"Thameslink project" is the revised name Network Rail appear to use for
Thameslink 2000, though they've also used the term "Thameslink
Programme" in the past as well [1]. And the BBC uses the plain wrong
term of Thameslink 2012!

Thank goodness - a sensible decision at long last. Now they've just got
to smash open a few piggy banks.

Perhaps Douglas Alexander is actually trying to make things happen
rather than the "no absolutely nothing" approach of his predecessor?
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Mizter T wrote:
[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it!
According to the BBC a DfT spokesman said that a funding decision
would be made by *next summer*. It's all well and good having the legal
authority to do the work (although I must admit this is a major step
forward, and there will be no need for any further public enquiries and
the like, thank God), but I wouldn't hold my breath.

T.:
The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it!

Jon Morris:
Why don't they put it on eBay, and say that the successful bidder will
get the project named after them!

If it was a certain soap company, it could be Thameslink Lever 2000.
--
Mark Brader | "One of the lessons of history is that nothing
Toronto | is often a good thing to do and always a clever
| thing to say." -- Will Durant

"Mizter T" wrote in message
oups.com...
[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it! The
"Thameslink project" is the revised name Network Rail appear to use for
Thameslink 2000, though they've also used the term "Thameslink
Programme" in the past as well [1]. And the BBC uses the plain wrong
term of Thameslink 2012!

snip

I haven't been paying very close attention to developments - can anyone
provide some information as to how the Borough Market issue has been
resolved?

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...csp#P130_11986


Hopefully it will be somewhere in the inspectors final report, now online...

Paul

Paul Scott wrote:
"Mizter T" wrote in message
oups.com...
[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it! The
"Thameslink project" is the revised name Network Rail appear to use for
Thameslink 2000, though they've also used the term "Thameslink
Programme" in the past as well [1]. And the BBC uses the plain wrong
term of Thameslink 2012!

Hmmm. I recently obtained all legal powers necessary to purchase a
Ferrari. I just need to find the funds to pay for it.

Suspect that we'll need a few more rounds of "pay the consultants vast
quantities of public cash" before a decision can be made on funding.

In article ,
(Sky Rider) wrote:

Mizter T wrote:
[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it!
According to the BBC a DfT spokesman said that a funding decision
would be made by *next summer*. It's all well and good having the
legal authority to do the work (although I must admit this is a
major step forward, and there will be no need for any further
public enquiries and the like, thank God), but I wouldn't hold my
breath.

They did say "at the latest". There is a suspicion that it will be
announced with the SOFA.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Colin Rosenstiel wrote:
In article ,
(Sky Rider) wrote:

Mizter T wrote:
[crossposted to uk.transport.london and uk.railway]

The Thameslink project now has all the legal powers to start
construction - it just needs someone to agree to pay for it!
According to the BBC a DfT spokesman said that a funding decision
would be made by *next summer*. It's all well and good having the
legal authority to do the work (although I must admit this is a
major step forward, and there will be no need for any further
public enquiries and the like, thank God), but I wouldn't hold my
breath.

They did say "at the latest". There is a suspicion that it will be
announced with the SOFA.

Well, that's where I always look when I'm short of cash.