Afternoon:
10°c
JUDGING from the Prime Minister's rhetoric after the G20 summit, governments should be spending their way out of recession. Indeed, Gordon Brown gives the impression that the only question is which projects to throw borrowed money at. So it seems quite extraordinary that a crucial element of the London transport network could be abandoned for the want of £15.5 million. That is the amount required for the second phase of the development of the East London Line extension between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction. The overall capital cost is £75 million.
The Mayor, Boris Johnson, has already trimmed the shortfall in the money required for completion to £31 million, of which Transport for London is providing £15.5 million. That leaves a further £15.5 million to come from the taxpayer. Yet the Department of Transport says that since the Government provided £43 million of the overall cost, and has already agreed a long-term funding settlement with TfL, it will not pay any more.
The extension to the East London Line was one of the transport commitments the Government made in its bid for the Olympics. But apart from the 2012 deadline, this line would meet the needs of a relatively deprived part of London and provide links for an under-serviced part of the network.
In any circumstances, this would be money productively spent on reducing journey times and relieving congestion. In a recession, this is exactly the kind of capital project that the Government should be backing - one that, unlike the Prime Minister's favoured option of spending on hospitals and schools, will actually boost long-term economic growth. The new Transport Secretary, Geoff Hoon, has announced a programme to identify where future expansion in transport links is required. How about the East London Line?
Saving the Titian
THE NATIONAL Heritage Memorial Fund has got its priorities right. In the first major spending decision on the part of its new head, Jenny Abramsky, it has contributed its entire annual grant from the Government, £10 million, to the £50 million cost of keeping Titian's Diana and Actaeon for the nation. It is being sold by the Duke of Sutherland for this below-market price. The painting is normally on view in the National Gallery of Scotland but right now it can be seen in the National Gallery, in an attempt to boost support for its purchase by the end of the year. And indeed, visitors have been generous in contributing to the purchase price, which, with the new £10 million contribution, is close to being met.
This is an exceptionally beautiful and important painting for which a whole series of artists, including Lucian Freud, Bridget Riley and Tracey Emin, have been unstinting in their public praise. If it turns out that there is still a funding shortfall by the end of the year, perhaps they could be unstinting, too, in their financial support. Given the extraordinary sums raised by, for instance, Damien Hirst, in the public auctions of his works recently, or the considerable sums raised by Mr Freud for his recent portraits, it would not be asking too much to call on their generosity and that of other contemporary artists and collectors, to help save the work of a rather greater painter for the nation.
For contemporary art to flourish it must be nourished with reference to past masters. Modern painters should help save the Titian for the future.
And celebrating...
OUTDOOR ICE-SKATING. Last night, the outdoor rink in the grand courtyard at Somerset House opened. And, like the other great outdoor venues at the Natural History Museum and the Tower of London it will, for a few glorious weeks, draw skaters of all ages and talents. This is a spectacular way to enjoy some of London's finest architecture - and have enormous fun.
Reader views (2)
Boris has the money for this project he should stop wasteing money on Blue Peter bus competitions and consultations on the C-Charge for which he has no funds to change.
The role of Mayor of London involves handleing billions of pounds of public money and therefore its no job for a part time NOVICE!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 19/11/2008 23:24
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Not only should the East London Line go ahead but also the Hammersmith and City line should be extended to Grays via Dagenham Dock.This should not cost too much as the track currently used by C2C can be used.This will repair the damage caused by the Mayors political decision not to extend the DLR.
- Colin, barking essex, 19/11/2008 14:03
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