Morning:
2°c
TfL 'wastes £20m starting then halting Tube projects'
Martin Robinson6 Jan 2010
Transport for London spent £20 million starting access projects at Tube stations last year only to down tools because it could not afford to finish the job.
Mayor Boris Johnson has admitted some work had to be halted because TfL is struggling with falling revenues and the costs caused by the collapse of contractor Metronet.
As a result work was stopped on "step-free" access projects at Amersham, Greenford, Ladbroke Grove, Newbury Park, Osterley and West Kensington stations.
This has left wheelchair users and parents with buggies among those struggling to use the stations as they wait for lifts to be installed. TfL says it plans to start work again in the future but at the moment the money must go to larger projects that benefit the greatest number of people.
Critics claim that new figures show that TfL has been guilty of throwing away £20 million of taxpayers' money and not helping those Londoners who need it most.
Mr Johnson, who was today visiting Shoreditch High Street station, said: "TfL is experiencing a loss in revenue due to the current economic climate and increased costs due to the impact of the Metronet collapse, which necessitated some difficult decisions.
"We will continue to increase the accessibility of the Tube over time, building on the foundation of 58 step-free stations already in place.
"However, available resources will be targeted at the stations where major station redevelopment work is already planned, thereby combining step-free access with congestion relief schemes, which is a better way to use existing budgets ... London Underground has spent under £20 million so far on work at these six sites."
The spending was revealed by City Hall's Lib-Dems. Transport spokesman Caroline Pidgeon said: "Despite all their excuses the harsh fact is that TfL has wasted the staggering sum of £20 million starting but then abandoning step-free access projects."
Reader views (14)
Those of you who believe that access alterations to stations only benefit a few people really haven't thought your argument through. People with pushchairs, medical conditions, luggage, small children, assistance dogs, crutches ... the list goes on and on. Boris should stop wasting money on scrapping perfectly adequate buses and allow these vital alterations to continue.
And as for announcements, while I agree that some are totally pointless, others such as information about the destination of the train that's pulling into the platform or the bus you're travelling on are absolutely vital to people who are blind or dyslexic or have reading difficulties. Why not wear headphones and "tonight thank God it's them instead of you"?
- Lynn, London, UK, 02/02/2010 12:33
Report abuse
Mr. Johnson told us all way back that there was just not enough money in the pot to carry out the mad and unnecessary schemes being put forward. He is one of the few MPs that actually tells it as it is. His wonderful, swaggering,Churchillian charissma will lead this Country one day. I just hope I live long enough to see it.
- Beverley Arnold., London. UK., 28/01/2010 12:45
Report abuse
I use a wheelchair and always have. I have a fulltime job in central London. Thanks to the lack of access on the tube instead of a 20 minute tube journey I have a 45 min bus journey and 15 minute walk the other end. It seems mad to me that people with the most limited mobility have the worst transport options available. I am currently in the process fo reviewing the options to legally challenge the failiure of Boris to continue this investment. Much of this step-free money was specifically allocated for that cause, it is not acceptable to simply divert it to other projects.
In addition to this it is obvious that not just wheelchair users benefits, anyone with heavy luggage, anyone with a puschair and the millions of elderley people who use the system would benefit. Suggestions such as "give them cars" or "provide taxis" miss the point that in the long term that will cost more and only benefit a very limited number of people (ie those severley disabled, I would not qualify as I live by myself and can use the bus).
Furthermore I am happy to loan my spare wheelchair to the sceptics, try it for a week and see if your views change.
- Toby, London, 06/01/2010 15:18
Report abuse
It's not just wheelchair users who benefit from lifts at Underground stations, it's anybody with limited mobility. We wouldn't want those pesky Paralympians being able to travel around London more easily while they're here, would we?
- Helen, West London, 06/01/2010 12:02
Report abuse
"Green Park tube station "step free" - EIGHTY million. That would buy a family car and driver for everyone who uses the lift for ten years."
Perhaps disabled peope want to be able to travel on public transport like everyone else, Michael.
I reckon the attitudes of some commentators on this thread would change if they had to use a wheelchair.
- Richard, London, 06/01/2010 10:17
Report abuse
These stories are starting to wind me up. The money was not 'wasted' it was spent on preparatory works such as design and utilities diversions. It was clear that with the budget cuts some projects would have to be shelved, and it makes sense to focus on the really major ones that will benefit millions at the expense of these smaller ones that will only benefit a few, and where the reality is they can easily be picked up again in the future from pretty much where they left off - the design work will be done and the utilities already diverted.
So before you start to believe these numbers remember this is just pre-election party politics and nothing else.
- Paul, London, 05/01/2010 23:57
Report abuse
It drives me mad that most people using the London Transport are not even living in London. Most of them are visiting workers from the home counties or tourists nowadays. They should be paying more on their tickets as they do not pay the same kind of elevated London council taxes local people do.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 05/01/2010 22:14
Report abuse
Boris is spot on halting these wasteful, hugely expensive "politically correct" projects. Green Park tube station "step free" - EIGHTY million. That would buy a family car and driver for everyone who uses the lift for ten years. For once, three cheers to TfL for stopping this spending madness.
- Michael, London, Fizrovia, London, 05/01/2010 18:28
Report abuse
WINDBAG..sounds about right for Melvyn of Canvey Island..Usual Labour supporter Winbagging rubbish..
- Man Of T.Ruth, United Kingdom, 05/01/2010 17:45
Report abuse
Scrap TfL and restore London Transport. I agree with all the above comments, except that public transport for Londoners would have been done better and in good time without any Mayor of London, be it Livingstone or Johnson. We did not need Kiley & Co-imports. Committees & round-the-table London assembly will never work for our good. Lets face it Mayors, and London's state--within-a-state is not working, is costing us the earth and as TfL is a safe haven for uncaring former civil servants & other state sector hangers-on could be the best cost saving for London.
- Rita Scrap Tfl, London, 05/01/2010 17:28
Report abuse
They could certainly cut back on the ghastly announcements without inconveniencing anyone. Too many, too loud and mostly completely pointless.
- Rover, London UK, 05/01/2010 17:20
Report abuse
Waterloo has a lift which was designed, approved, 90% ish finished and last minute stopped as they realised that the lift was not wide enough to fit a push chair. I do wonder who approved that project...
- Josh, London, 05/01/2010 15:44
Report abuse
Yet another example of where Boris wastes money! So no surprise there so how much would it have cost to complete these schemes and how much will it now cost?
Yet another example of Boris trashing Kens inheritence while there is money available for electric car points, bike hire schemes and a bus that has no purpose other than waste money given it will never be mass produced!!
While money is wasted on replacing Artic buses money that would have paid for these schemes!!!
And remember these are long term schemes that would benefit generations to come and not just a cycle lane where the paint will fade in a few months.
I notice that most of the stations listed are in Tory Areas so they have nothing to complain about because having inaccessible stations for the elederly, disabled etc is what they voted for when the voted for Boris..
If they wanted cheap, effecient well run public transport they would have voted for Ken!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 05/01/2010 14:16
Report abuse
More to the point, what's the additional cost to TfL of starting the project, stopping it and delaying ordered components, and re-starting it, versus just getting on and finishing it? It seems like a short term gain for long term additional cost.
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall, 05/01/2010 13:44
Report abuse
