• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • Twitter

More 10 year anniversaries, Boris’s new bus & the end of PPP

May 18, 2010 - Martin Hoscik@MayorWatch

Boris unveils the final design for London's new bus. Photo: MayorWatch
Along with assorted journos including Pippa and Dave I trundled down to Battersea bus garage yesterday to see the unveiling of the final design of the new Borismaster bus.

On what was a nice sunny morning Boris was looking pretty chuffed as he’s probably entitled to after facing so much undisguised scepticism and cynicism from those of us who never expected the project to go anywhere.

Ever gracious, he refrained from telling us naysayers how mistaken we had been.

However, as Dave mentions, he was miffed at not having had a note of praise from the Guardian for ending the Tube PPP with the impending nationalisation of Tube Lines. What Dave’s been decent in not mentioning is that his telling off was the result of me chiming in and praising Boris for scrapping a scheme that Londoners overwhelmingly rejected when they cast their votes back in 2000’s inaugural Greater London Authority elections.

As I noted the other day, the dogmatic determination to push through the scheme means the law doesn’t quite seem to have a mechanism for abolishing the role of the PPP Arbiter.

Despite our legislators apparently never considering the prospect of PPP ending anytime soon, the collapse of Metronet and Team Boris’s deal to acquire Tube Lines means that the curtain is set to fall on a project I suspect will become a textbook example at how not to involve the private sector in the delivery of essential public services.

A cautious soul yesterday warned me not to be too thrilled at the nationalisation of Tube Lines but, while I’m still not clear quite where the money is coming from, I welcome the simplicity and greater transparency which must surely follow TfL becoming responsible for all aspects of the Tube’s performance.

The era of public rows and blaming third party shareholders for robbing Londoners is, thankfully, now at and end and Boris alone will have to carry the can for any future delays and failings.

Trivia fans might like to note two quick facts:

– in the ten years since devolution, London has nationalised three private finance companies – Tramlink, Metronet and now Tube Lines (though Boris loses points for selling off East Thames Buses)

– like the Greater London Authority, Tramlink celebrates its 10th birthday this month.

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Tagged With: GLA 10th Anniversary

RECENT UPDATES

Tube and rail users to benefit from Oyster weekly fares cap

Mayor and TfL call on ministers to help plug funding gap

Tube to get full mobile phone coverage from 2024

TfL says Direct Vision Standard is already making HGVs safer for London road users




POPULAR

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2022 · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.