On 15 Dec, 19:08, Chris wrote:
On 14 Dec, 22:51, "Peter Masson" wrote:

"Dan G" wrote

I live in Reading and I don't want Crossrail to come here. Why?
Because Crossrail will be a stopper service. I want to catch an HST to
Paddington, overtaking the slow Crossrail trains past Maidenhead, and
then change for the ride into central London (or beyond).

If Crossrail is extended to Reading the Main (Fast) Lines will still be
available for 125 mph trains running non-stop (or possibly calling at
Slough) between Paddington and Reading.

Network Rail are trying to remove stops on the fast lines twixt
Paddington & Reading. And I think they'll finally take this
opportunity should Crossrail make it to Reading, which I think it
might - although Ken Livingstone won't be able to spend any money on
it as it's outside his jurisdiction, as is Ebbsfleet.

(big snip)


Just because Reading and Ebbsfleet are outside Greater London doesn't
mean TfL can't deal with them. If the DfT were to give the money and
the go-ahead to TfL for either project then they could thus be in
charge of delivering that project and the services that run on it, as
a kind of contractor.

Bear in mind that just under half of TfL's annual income comes from a
central government grant. In addition TfL are responsible for
operating rail services outside of Greater London, in Buckinghamshire
(LU Met line), Essex (Central line), and Hertfordshire (London
Overground to Watford Jn and LU Metropolitan line).

TfL were pushing an embryonic proposal that would've led to the
creation of a London Regional Rail Authority - this would stretch
beyond Greater London into the home counties, and would somehow 'take
control' of commuter and local London services. AIUI the plan was that
the authority would have been led by TfL but would have had inputs
from those counties it covered, including a mechanism of democratic
accountability (i.e. a board of councillors from the relevant local
authorities of the area covered).

This has all been put on the back burner, but the Mayor and TfL are
certainly keen on having more control over rail services in Greater
London, so similar proposals might well come round again, especially
after TfL have had some time to prove their competence by running the
London Overground network.