In message , Paul Scott
writes
...what might be the effect on TfL's ability to press on with all the major
projects, given that Ken seems so much of a motivator?


The Tories always seemed to view building roads as an investment, but
putting in public transport as a subsidy. Lets see first of all how long
it takes him to do anything about Bendy buses.

I'm sure it won't be long before it's impossible to find anyone willing
to admit voting for him :-)

--
Edward Cowling If it screams it's not food yet !!

On 3 May, 23:43, MIG wrote:
They should have a council where representatives of several
constituencies could actually vote on stuff, avoiding whimsical (and
expensive) swings of policy. They could call it, I dunno, the GLC?

Except that the GLC seemed to waste most of its time and money on
crackpot right-on causes that benefitted a tiny number of people and
the majority could go hang. Its very easy for a committee to be
anonymous and unaccountable and do what they please , less so if its
one person.

B2003

If you're referring to me then probably not a lot in the short term. Who
knows what 18 months will bring.

Well, for what its worth - I hope it won't change for the worse!

On May 4, 9:32*pm, Boltar wrote:
On 3 May, 23:43, MIG wrote:

They should have a council where representatives of several
constituencies could actually vote on stuff, avoiding whimsical (and
expensive) swings of policy. *They could call it, I dunno, the GLC?

Except that the GLC seemed to waste most of its time and money on
crackpot right-on causes that benefitted a tiny number of people and
the majority could go hang. Its very easy for a committee to be
anonymous and unaccountable and do what they please , less so if its
one person.

Tiny grants to mythical black lesbians of less than the Mayor's lunch
expenses may make headlines for the Mail and the Standard, but they
don't really compare with how much of our money goes at ludicrous
rates of interest to even smaller numbers of directors and
shareholders of private companies under PPP and the like, out of the
budget that should have been used to maintain and run services.

On 4 May, 22:02, MIG wrote:
rates of interest to even smaller numbers of directors and
shareholders of private companies under PPP and the like, out of the
budget that should have been used to maintain and run services.

Well I won't argue that the PPP is a complete waste of money, but that
was the Treasury's idea - a bunch of anonymous accountants with a
patsy known as the Chancellor to take the flak.

B2003

On Sun, 4 May 2008 14:02:46 -0700 (PDT), MIG
wrote:

On May 4, 9:32*pm, Boltar wrote:
On 3 May, 23:43, MIG wrote:

They should have a council where representatives of several
constituencies could actually vote on stuff, avoiding whimsical (and
expensive) swings of policy. *They could call it, I dunno, the GLC?

Except that the GLC seemed to waste most of its time and money on
crackpot right-on causes that benefitted a tiny number of people and
the majority could go hang. Its very easy for a committee to be
anonymous and unaccountable and do what they please , less so if its
one person.

Tiny grants to mythical black lesbians of less than the Mayor's lunch
expenses may make headlines for the Mail and the Standard, but they
don't really compare with how much of our money goes at ludicrous
rates of interest to even smaller numbers of directors and
shareholders of private companies under PPP and the like, out of the
budget that should have been used to maintain and run services.

The (LU) PPP having been, to his great credit, fought against by Ken
(having been imposed by the man who is now Our Glorious Leader).

There are many black marks against Ken from his 8 years as Mayor, but
the LU PPP is not one of them.

On May 5, 1:06*am, James Farrar wrote:
On Sun, 4 May 2008 14:02:46 -0700 (PDT), MIG





wrote:
On May 4, 9:32*pm, Boltar wrote:
On 3 May, 23:43, MIG wrote:

They should have a council where representatives of several
constituencies could actually vote on stuff, avoiding whimsical (and
expensive) swings of policy. *They could call it, I dunno, the GLC?

Except that the GLC seemed to waste most of its time and money on
crackpot right-on causes that benefitted a tiny number of people and
the majority could go hang. Its very easy for a committee to be
anonymous and unaccountable and do what they please , less so if its
one person.

Tiny grants to mythical black lesbians of less than the Mayor's lunch
expenses may make headlines for the Mail and the Standard, but they
don't really compare with how much of our money goes at ludicrous
rates of interest to even smaller numbers of directors and
shareholders of private companies under PPP and the like, out of the
budget that should have been used to maintain and run services.

The (LU) PPP having been, to his great credit, fought against by Ken
(having been imposed by the man who is now Our Glorious Leader).

There are many black marks against Ken from his 8 years as Mayor, but
the LU PPP is not one of them.-

I didn't mean to imply that it was. Just putting scales of "crackpot"
money-wastage and small numbers of beneficiaries in perspective.

On Sat, 3 May 2008, Paul Corfield wrote:

It's when we get bus and tube strikes (both quite likely given the 3
year pay deal for LU has just ended and Unite are demanding pay parity
for bus drivers) that the fun will begin.

What? Pay parity with tube drivers? Seriously? How about starting with
professionalism parity? Bus drivers are currently a bunch of dangerous,
incompetent, passenger-hating maniacs. Well, not all of them, obviously,
but there's a huge gap in professionalism between bus and tube drivers.

tom

--
Life finds a way. -- Ian Malcolm

On Mon, 5 May 2008 14:02:00 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Sat, 3 May 2008, Paul Corfield wrote:

It's when we get bus and tube strikes (both quite likely given the 3
year pay deal for LU has just ended and Unite are demanding pay parity
for bus drivers) that the fun will begin.

What? Pay parity with tube drivers? Seriously? How about starting with
professionalism parity? Bus drivers are currently a bunch of dangerous,
incompetent, passenger-hating maniacs. Well, not all of them, obviously,
but there's a huge gap in professionalism between bus and tube drivers.

I think parity with tube drivers is a long term aim. Their aim in this
pay round is equal pay and conditions across all companies running TfL
tendered services. Can't see that happening somehow.

I don't think I share your slightly extreme view of bus drivers'
qualities. There's the odd bad one but most do a good job in what can be
very trying circumstances. The City wouldn't function without its buses
and it's quite a few years since we have lots of buses on strike - the
last one I remember coincided with tube strikes and getting anywhere was
nigh on impossible.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

On Mon, 5 May 2008, Paul Corfield wrote:

On Mon, 5 May 2008 14:02:00 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Sat, 3 May 2008, Paul Corfield wrote:

It's when we get bus and tube strikes (both quite likely given the 3
year pay deal for LU has just ended and Unite are demanding pay parity
for bus drivers) that the fun will begin.

What? Pay parity with tube drivers? Seriously? How about starting with
professionalism parity? Bus drivers are currently a bunch of dangerous,
incompetent, passenger-hating maniacs. Well, not all of them, obviously,
but there's a huge gap in professionalism between bus and tube drivers.

I think parity with tube drivers is a long term aim.

Wow.

Their aim in this pay round is equal pay and conditions across all
companies running TfL tendered services. Can't see that happening
somehow.

That's a shame - that seems like a fair and reasonable thing to want.

I don't think I share your slightly extreme view of bus drivers'
qualities. There's the odd bad one but most do a good job in what can be
very trying circumstances.

Most do an adequate job.

The City wouldn't function without its buses and it's quite a few years
since we have lots of buses on strike - the last one I remember
coincided with tube strikes and getting anywhere was nigh on impossible.

Absolutely true. I'm not (for once!) having a go at buses, i'm just saying
that their drivers are a lot less professional than i believe those of the
tube trains to be.

tom

--
Life finds a way. -- Ian Malcolm