GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY London Assembly

25 February 2004

Report No: 4 Subject: Question’s to the Mayor

Report of: Director Of Secretariat 146 / 2004 - Step Change provision for Croydon Andrew Pelling Bearing in mind that the London Borough of Croydon has the largest population in London of any local borough and bearing in mind that its population is 52.7% above the average population for a London borough, would you agree that it would be reasonable to provide sufficient resources for Step Change provision of extra police officers in four wards rather than three in Croydon’s special case?

147 / 2004 - All night train services to Sutton on New Year's Eve/Day Andrew Pelling Sutton was the only borough not served by the Underground which did not have an all night train service on New Year’s Eve/Day this year. What could you do to change this next year?

148 / 2004 - A22 Godstone Road traffic warden patrols Andrew Pelling Please state the average number of traffic warden patrol visits to police parking per month since the introduction of the red route on the A22 Godstone Road.

150 / 2004 - Defending the future of district centres Andrew Pelling With large number of post office closures proposed over the coming year, London’s many district centres will face further challenges to their viability. What should the GLA family be doing to defend the future of district centres? What planning and economic development roles are there for the GLA in helping district centres to meet problems of a long-term decline?

151 / 2004 - Reduced bus services on suburban routes Andrew Pelling Is there a saving for London Buses by running reduced services on suburban bus routes during the period between the Christmas and New Year holidays?

152 / 2004 - Bus loading figures in outer London between Christmas and New Year Andrew Pelling What measures do London Buses have of the loadings on buses in outer London in the period between the Christmas and New Year holidays when bus services were often reduced to a Saturday only service?

153 / 2004 - Cycle races in Crystal Palace Park Andrew Pelling There used to be weekly cycle races in Crystal Palace Park in the summer but the circuit has been unusable for the last two summers. There are races across in Hillingdon but that is quite a distance for talented young cyclists to travel in order to train and compete. What prospects do you see for including good facilities for cycle races in any new development plans for Crystal Palace?

1 154 / 2004 - Supply of raw water as substitute for potable water Andrew Pelling What pressure should the GLA bring to bear on Thames Water and other smaller suppliers of water in London to supply raw water, where appropriate, as a substitute for potable water?

155 / 2004 - Use of non-potable water for irrigation and non-drinking Andrew Pelling With the ongoing difficulties we have with the rising water table on the Underground, is there a potential business opportunity for London Underground to supply non-potable water for applications such as irrigation, and sustainable use of such non-potable water for domestic non-drinking water usage?

156 / 2004 - Accidents involving Tramlink from April 2003 to date Andrew Pelling In May 2003, you answered a question I posed about the number of accidents that Tramlink had been involved from February 2002 to March 2003, broken down by type of accident and type of collision defined by body with which collision has taken place. You said that Tramlink vehicles had been involved in 35 RTAs.

Could you please supply the same detail of accidents that Tramlink has been involved in since April 2003 to date?

157 / 2004 - Croydon’s inclusion in the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces Programme Andrew Pelling Why are there no places in the London Borough of Sutton or Croydon that have been included amongst the 14 listed in the second phase of the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces Programme? What could be done to secure a place in the third phase? Where does the Coulsdon Town Centre Improvement Scheme fit within the 100 Public Spaces Programme? With Croydon being voted the 15th worst place to live in the country, perhaps we are in need of urgent support for inclusion within the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces Programme.

158 / 2004 - Improvements at West Croydon for gateway to Croydon Andrew Pelling It is sometimes instructive to see yourself as others see you. The Idler has described Croydon as the 15th worst place to live in the country. The description of Croydon is introduced with a very unflattering description of West Croydon Bus Station.

When can we expect the environment to be improved at this gateway to Croydon? What type of timetable is there to bring together a shared focus and entrance for the West Croydon tram, train and bus stations? Currently, there is no such joint entrance.

159 / 2004 - Additional capacity for the 407 bus route Andrew Pelling Full loadings on the 407 bus route, the key bus connection between Croydon and Sutton, mean that there can be very long waits for passengers.

As you know, I do not drive, and it is disappointing when work for my constituents is delayed by long waits for a 407 bus that is not full. It is more than disappointing for senior citizens having to wait for a bus that they can board such long delays in winter weather can be threatening to their health.

When can we expect additional capacity on the 407 bus route?

2 160 / 2004 - Direct bus link between Cheam and Croydon Andrew Pelling Residents in Cheam find it especially inconvenient to have to change buses in Sutton when wishing to travel to Croydon. Other than the infrequent 726 bus, there is no operating continuous bus link. What prospects are there for changing this arrangement?

161 / 2004 - Reconnecting bus shelter with bus stop outside Fairfield Halls, Croydon Andrew Pelling Are there now no prospects for reconnecting the bus shelter with the moved bus stop outside Fairfield Halls? This may seem a small point but it is becoming a local symbol of the inability of public sector bodies being unable to achieve something together for the overall public good. It is also uncomfortable for passengers who are exposed to the elements and who have to look longingly at the shelter at the old bus stop/now bus stand marooned down the road.

162 / 2004 - Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Andrew Pelling Crystal Palace National Sports Centre currently houses the only Olympic sized swimming pool and the only available diving facilities in London. It is also one of only a handful in southern England to offer these facilities, yet there is a possibility that the current swimming pool will be closed as soon as the end of next month and redeveloped into a 25m pool. No mention has been made as to the future of the diving pool. Sport England view this reduction in facilities as being of minimal impact because of the number of ‘elite’ swimmers using the facility, but fail to include such individuals as the eight Commonwealth swimmers from the Beckenham Swimming Club as elite.

What could you do to ensure that the 50m pool and the diving facilities used by British competitors are retained for all users, both elite and non-elite, to continue to enjoy, especially as they are so vital that competitors travel from as far away as Rochester and Portsmouth to use them?

163 / 2004 - Gritting of footpaths Andrew Pelling During the recent snowy weather, many of London’s streets were not gritted, causing a severe hazard to pedestrians. Are you able to advise me how many and what percentage of footpaths under TfL’s responsibility were gritted?

164 / 2004 - Cost of Consultants Eric Ollerenshaw When will you answer my question on the cost of consultants to the GLA since 2000?

165 / 2004 - Expenses Eric Ollerenshaw Could you please list all the expenses incurred by: A) Bob Kiley B) Jay Walder C) Tim O' Toole since their appointments? If you will not, could you please explain why not?

166 / 2004 - Crossrail Eric Ollerenshaw Since 2000 how much has been spent by Crossrail on consultants?

167 / 2004 - 73 Bus route Eric Ollerenshaw Why are you introducing bendy buses on the 73 bus route? 3 168 / 2004 - 73 Bus Route Eric Ollerenshaw Will the 73 bus still go down Stoke Newington Church Street?

169 / 2004 - Oystercards for Tramlink Andrew Pelling When will Oyster cards become operational on Croydon Tramlink?

170 / 2004 - Step Change Query Andrew Pelling Where officers are provided for Step Change in wards that are co-terminous but are across borough boundaries, what action will be taken to ensure that the benefits of co-ordinated working between these two neighbouring teams will be introduced?

171 / 2004 - BIDs regulations Andrew Pelling What input should the GLA family make into the consultation on BIDs regulations?

172 / 2004 - Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Andrew Pelling Sport England is proposing to spend £1.5m on refurbishing the running track at Crystal Palace in advance of the Athletics Grand Prix event in July. As the existing track is still in good condition and the IAAF has no set standard regarding track specifications, is it wise for money that could be diverted to better use in saving the National Sports Centre, to be spent in this way?

This is especially concerning given the important role that Crystal Palace would otherwise play in allowing athletes to prepare for the upcoming Olympics and would mean that other on-site facilities such as the indoor track or the weights room would also go unused whilst competitors train elsewhere, possibly never to return if they feel that Crystal Palace cannot be relied upon to provide the facilities they need.

173 / 2004 - Parthenon Marbles Noel Lynch Will you use your influence in support of the campaign to return the Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles to their rightful home in Greece?

174 / 2004 - Security at Stations Valerie Shawcross What steps is the Mayor taking to improve safety and security at stations and transport interchanges?

175 / 2004 - Freight Transport Association issues with the Congestion Charge Andrew Pelling Freight Transport Association members have 46 issues of dispute with Transport for London about the Congestion Charge scheme. In these circumstances, do you have some sympathy with the view expressed by the Freight Transport Association that the benefits of the Congestion Charge are outweighed by the bureaucracy, costs and xxxx-ups?

176 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones Do you think that TfL should be funding the Barnet Council proposals for the Finchley Road, when this could lead to worse conditions for pedestrians and people with mobility problems?

4 177 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones Will you ask TfL to consider whether Barnet Council have answered all the points raised in the report by the Royal Society for Prevention Accidents, which was commissioned by local residents?

178 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones Can TfL confirm that Barnet Council have consulted local disability groups as part of this and other road schemes?

179 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones Does Barnet Council's approach, of taking out cycle lanes and asking local people about it afterwards, match your understanding of consultation best practice? And have any other councils in London taken such an approach?

180 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones Is any TfL money funding Barnet Council's rolling programe of road maintenance and if so, should this be urgently reviewed?

181 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones What do you think of Barnet Council's failure to receive any significant TfL funding for the London Cycle Network?

182 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones What do you think of Barnet Council's decision to withdraw funding for cycle training in schools?

183 / 2004 - Finchley Road Scheme Jenny Jones Are you concerned about the failure of Barnet Council to support your transport strategy regarding cycling?

184 / 2004 - West London Tram Jenny Jones Could you ask TfL to review their plans for the tram route so that lane widths for buses and cyclists could be increased to 4.4 metres for as much of the route as is possible?

185 / 2004 - West London Tram Jenny Jones Where there are dedicated cycle lanes along the Uxbridge Road could you ensure that these are 1.5m so as to comply with the guidance set out in the LCN+ design manual?

186 / 2004 - West London Tram Scheme Jenny Jones Could you ensure that TfL respond fully to the comments from the London Cycling Campaign regarding the tram proposals?

187 / 2004 - Staff Travel Plan Jenny Jones How many local authorities in London have developed a travel plan for their own staff? 5

188 / 2004 - West London Tram Jenny Jones How many NHS facilities are covered by a staff travel plan? How many are planning to develop one in the coming year? What proportion of hospitals are covered by such travel plans?

189 / 2004 - Precept Boycott Threat Len Duvall Has the Mayor taken legal advice on the threat of Conservative Bromley Councilors to orchestrate a campaign of precept non-Payment ?

190 / 2004 - Bird Flu Virus Valerie Shawcross Are you aware of any preparations being undertaken in London by the National Health Service to deal with the potential impact on London and Londoners of a major respiratory disease epidemic such as the so called ‘Bird Flu Virus’.

191 / 2004 - Tall Buildings Valerie Shawcross Is the Mayor clear about the position of Simon Hughes on tall buildings?

192 / 2004 - Oyster Card John Biggs Do you think Londoners yet understand the Oyster Card and what priority will you be giving to persuading Train Operating Companies to integrate their ticketing better with it? If TOCs will not integrate their ticketing with Oyster will this seriously undermine its credibility?

193 / 2004 - London Regional Metro John Biggs Do you have a view on Simon Hughes professed support for the London Regional Metro rather than Crossrail? Will London Regional Metro bring regeneration and growth benefits to London in the same way as Crossrail?

194 / 2004 - Merseytravel Rail Services John Biggs Do you support Merseytravel's aspiration that rail services in its area be placed under its sole control and, for the review being made by Government, are you and TfL making similar proposals for London?

195 / 2004 - Transport Spending Allocations John Biggs Will you consider freezing or restricting further transport spending allocations to Barnet given their reckless policy on road safety? What other, less draconian, actions are open to you?

196 / 2004 - Traffic Enforcement Diana Johnson With the introduction of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003 allowing TfL and local authorities to enforce certain moving traffic contraventions that have been decriminalised, i.e., yellow box junctions and prohibitive turns, how is the Mayor going to ensure a sufficiency of enforcement across the London road network to keep traffic moving given that each location will need to be covered by CCTV?

6 197 / 2004 - Bus Driver Training Valerie Shawcross What training are bus drivers given in passenger safety and care?

198 / 2004 - Freedom Pass John Biggs Will the Mayor reiterate his commitment to the continuation of the Freedom Pass?

199 / 2004 - Countdown- Brixton High Street Valerie Shawcross Can the Mayor explain why the Countdown boards in Brixton High Street have not been working for over a year, despite the problem having been reported several times to TfL? Can he also explain why TfL are unable to answer simple queries from an AM? (This issue having been raised on 9 December and no reply received to date).

200 / 2004 - Bus Passenger Injuries Valerie Shawcross How many passengers are injured on TfL buses each year? And how many of these are over 60? Or registered disabled?

201 / 2004 - Health & Safety Monitoring on London Buses Valerie Shawcross How is Health and Safety of passengers monitored and reported on London Buses?

202 / 2004 - Capita John Biggs How are Capita now performing their congestion charging enforcement contract and was the response to the OJEU advertisement encouraging? And how are Capita now performing their customer services contract and are you minded towards advertising this contract too?

203 / 2004 - Non-participation of TfL and TOCU in Police Operation Refresh Brixton Valerie Shawcross I am told that the head of Community Safety at Lambeth has reported to Lambeth’s Police Community Consultative Group that TfL (TOCU) and the BTP will not get involved in supporting ‘Operation Refresh Brixton’ with regard to issues connected to Brixton Underground Station. Can this be correct and if so how does TfL justify not supporting Lambeth Police superb work in crime prevention?

204 / 2004 - Gipsy Hill -Crime or Fear of Crime Valerie Shawcross In my recent survey of residents around Gipsy Hill Ward (in Lambeth) I found that 35% of all respondents said they felt vulnerable to crime in and around Gipsy Hill and West Norwood Stations and 34% wanted to see more staff in train stations. Do you share my concerns about the failures of Network Rail and the train operators to ensure the security and freedom from fear of the travelling public, and if so will you take an initiative to tackle that lack of action?

205 / 2004 - Policing Transport Interchanges John Biggs With your funding package for the British Transport Police in London do you see scope for improved policing of transport interchanges suffering high incidence of crime? Will you be setting or negotiating priorities such as these for the additional officers?

7 206 / 2004 - British Transport Police Samantha Heath Is it an anomaly that BTP officers deployed on tramlink do not come under the same operational command as officers deployed on the tube and DLR?

207 / 2004 - The Studio Arts Centre, Beckenham Len Duvall In light of plans by Bromley Council to close the Studio Arts Centre, what steps is the LDA taking to recover £32,000 of SRB invested in the Studio?

208 / 2004 - Funding for Transport in London John Biggs Do you agree with the London Transport Users Committee's apocalyptic vision that transport in London will 'fall apart' without a Government cash injection of £1.1billion, and their view that London's transport has not been a Government priority?

209 / 2004 - Thames Gateway Bridge John Biggs Do you agree that we should aim to build the Thames Gateway Bridge before 2012?

210 / 2004 - Wapping & Rotherhithe Stations Upgrades John Biggs Can you add to the statement in the recent report by Bob Kiley to the TfL Board that 'Risk assessments of the existing stations at Wapping and Rotherhithe show that the stations could be adequately safe in the future railway with only moderate upgrades if they continued to be carefully managed'? Do you continue in your commitment to ensure that this work continues with priority in order to avoid the risk of closure?

211 / 2004 - East London Line Extensions John Biggs Given the current state of the SRA is thought being given to phasing the construction of the East London Line Extensions?

212 / 2004 - Bicycles on DLR John Biggs Do you agree with me that, off peak, there are on the face of it no good reasons why bicycles should be barred from the entire DLR? Would you be happy for the DLR to study the feasibility of lifting this ban on parts of its system, with the presumption that this should be possible on the majority of the system subject to operational demands?

213 / 2004 - Concessionary Fares Jennette Arnold What is the estimated cost of extending free bus travel to all under 18s?

214 / 2004 - Coulsdon Inner Relief Road Andrew Pelling It sums up the patchy quality of communication with TfL over the past four years that I have to learn of the ceremonial turf cutting for the Coulsdon Relief Road from a TfL press release. Is there any reason why I was not invited?

8 215 / 2004 - The London Plan Andrew Pelling In section 5F of The London Plan, you propose the South London sub-region should accommodate 42,000 new homes by 2016 yet Table 3A.1 on P.56 illustrates the figure to be 56,550. Is there a discrepancy here?

216 / 2004 - Graffiti on the Croydon Tramlink system Andrew Pelling The amount of graffiti on the Croydon Tramlink system constitutes a threatening environment for many users at night. Woodside tram stop is a particularly bad example of this. Is there resource available to assist in dealing with the graffiti on Croydon’s tram system?

217 / 2004 - Patients’ Forum for the London Ambulance Service Noel Lynch The Patients’ Forum for the LAS was recently established as the new statutory voice for patients and the public in the LAS. The Forum’s effectiveness and development is currently hampered by a lack of resources and facilities, which fails to recognise the difficult task faced by its voluntary unpaid members in carrying out a London-wide remit. I have been asked to request whether you would be willing to assist the Forum by: inviting the Forum to publicise its work through GLA publications and website; providing facilities for public meetings of the Forum; providing basic office facilities and an official address at City Hall for the Forum.

218 / 2004 - Crossrail depots and the green belt Noel Lynch Given objective 1 of the London Plan (to accommodate London’s growth within its boundaries without encroaching on open spaces), are you concerned that Crossrail has identified green belt land at Harold Park in Havering (immediately adjacent to a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation) as a front-running option for the location of a large depot?

219 / 2004 - Crossrail depots and the green belt Noel Lynch Do you consider that TfL should use its stakeholder position on Cross London Rail Links Ltd to ensure that the company’s criteria for the selection of depot sites for Crossrail is consistent with your policy of protecting the green belt?

220 / 2004 - Responsibility for new strategic open space in Thames Noel Lynch Should the GLA or LDA play a role in owning and managing large new areas of strategic open space, especially in Thames Gateway?

221 / 2004 - London Thames Gateway Development and Investment Framework Noel Lynch What is the current status of the London Thames Gateway Development and Investment Framework? Are you yet in a position to say when the draft framework will be issued for public consultation? Do you know what the timetable for the public consultation will be?

222 / 2004 - Thames Gateway Noel Lynch Will the Thames Gateway Development and Investment Framework take account of recent analyses of the costs and benefits of delivering sustainable construction in Thames Gateway redevelopment, namely the LDA’s report on Sustainable Design and Construction in Thames Gateway, the WWF report ‘One Planet Living in the Thames Gateway’ and the FKM report on Utilities in the Thames Gateway? 9

223 / 2004 - 211 Bus Angie Bray Can the Mayor tell me why it cost £500,000 to re-route the 211 bus in Kensington & Chelsea?

224 / 2004 - St Patrick's Day Mike Tuffrey Following the award of a contract to Mean Fiddler under open competition, do you stand by your previous claim that you had personally to award previous contracts for St Patrick's Day to Smurfit Communication, publisher of the Irish Post, as no one else could do it?

225 / 2004 - Construction Skills Shortage Mike Tuffrey What progress has the LDA made with the FRESA Construction Flagship Initiative (CFI)? In October you reported that the CFI Steering Group would publish its detailed plans in early 2004. Have these plans been produced? If they have where can I find them and, if not, when will they be published?

226 / 2004 - Private Sector Empty Homes Mike Tuffrey How many empty private sector homes have been returned to use in London in 2003/04? According to the Empty Homes Agency’s latest figures, of the 89,291 London properties that are currently vacant 83,435 (93%) are privately owned. Why haven’t you done more to tackle this huge problem and to ensure this wasted resource is converted into much needed liveable accommodation?

227 / 2004 - Hospitals Lynne Featherstone What additional resources have London hospitals received to ensure that they are fully equipped and prepared in the event of a terrorist attack? What training sessions have taken place?

228 / 2004 - Tube Maintenance Lynne Featherstone Which tube maintenance projects are experiencing delays and why? What are the budget implications of such delays?

229 / 2004 - Publicity Costs Graham Tope Exactly where can a member of the public find your publicity costs for 2000-2004?

230 / 2004 - Cost of Receptions Graham Tope Where specifically can a member of the public find out the costs of your receptions since 2000?

231 / 2004 - Oystercards Lynne Featherstone How many complaints has TfL received about Oystercard since it was introduced? How many cards have been blocked or otherwise cancelled?

232 / 2004 - Congestion Charge Expansions Lynne Featherstone Why are you using an increase in bus fares to pay for work on developing proposals for westward extension of congestion charge?

. 10 233 / 2004 - Jubilee Line Lynne Featherstone Why do passengers on the newest tube line - the Jubilee line still experience delays on a regular basis and when will the situation improve?

234 / 2004 - Essential Workers Mike Tuffrey During your term of office the housing affordability crisis for essential workers has dramatically worsened. Now the cost of the average London house is over nine times the annual salary of a typical nurse and over seven times for a teacher. Do you accept that your government has again failed London in not addressing the worsening affordability gap in public sector pay and what pledge will you give on their behalf to tackle it now?

235 / 2004 - Overcrowding Lynne Featherstone How would you define overcrowding and what work is currently being carried out to assess the extent of the problem on London Underground?

236 / 2004 - Freedom of Greater London Sally Hamwee Given your answer to my last question on this topic, if I wish to propose a candidate for the Freedom of Greater London award, how do I go about doing so, against what criteria will they be assessed, who and on whose advice will any decision to make an award be made, and how have you ensured that the process is objective, impartial and accountable to Londoners, especially in light of the current controversies surrounding the lack of openness of the national UK honours system?

237 / 2004 - Adverse Weather Conditions Lynne Featherstone Are you satisfied that TfL officers learnt and applied lessons following the virtual shutdown of London’s transport networks in January 2003 as a consequence of the adverse weather conditions; and if so why was there a repeat this year?

238 / 2004 - Responding to London Sally Hamwee What were your targets for responding to Londoners in each of the years since you have been in office? What was your performance against those targets in each of those years, and what has been your performance to date in the current year?

239 / 2004 - Transport Grant Lynne Featherstone Why is that after all your lobbying efforts and on-going work on building ‘the case for London’ and which I am sure you have shared the preliminary findings on with colleagues in the Labour Party all that you have to show for efforts in the transport field is a significant reduction in TfL grant?

240 / 2004 - TfL finance Committee Lynne Featherstone Are the minutes of TfL’s finance committee meetings published and publicly available and if so, where; if they are not, why not?

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241 / 2004 - LDA Membership Mike Tuffrey By recently appointing a third elected member of the Labour Party to the LDA Board, you have again failed to ensure that the Board is fully politically representative. How does this square with your manifesto pledge to introduce the most open, accessible and inclusive style of government ever seen in the UK? Do you not consider it important that the views of all Londoners are properly represented on London’s business and regeneration agency?

242 / 2004 - Children and Young People’s Survey Sally Hamwee What is the purpose of a £35,000 Children and Young People’s Survey ‘to carry out qualitative and quantitative research to improve areas of policy delivery for children and young people in London’ when you have only just published your Children and Young People’s Strategy that identifies the areas of policy delivery that require improvement and how, and for which extensive consultation with children and young people was already carried out? What new information do you hope to acquire, and what gaps are there in your own Strategy that justify this additional expense?

243 / 2004 - Sustainable Suburbs Toolkit Sally Hamwee How have boroughs been consulted and involved in the development of the Sustainable Suburbs Toolkit?

244 / 2004 - St George's Day Graham Tope What plans have you put in place for St. Georges Day celebrations in the capital?

245 / 2004 - Green Procurement Code Graham Tope What proportion of organisations signed up to the Green Procurement Code are meeting their target (where targets have been set)? How many new organisations have signed up to the code over the past year?

246 / 2004 - Wembley Development Mike Tuffrey What financial contribution will the GLA Group make to the Wembley Development? What is the target completion date for the project and what role will the LDA take in its delivery?

247 / 2004 - London Plan Housing Targets Mike Tuffrey Why do you plan to monitor the provision of additional homes in London against a benchmark of 23,000 per year when the London Plan sets an annual output objective is 30,000? Considering that the actual demand level for houses is 33,600 per annum why aren’t you using 30,000 as your benchmark? Is 30,000 a genuine target?

248 / 2004 - London Plan Housing Targets Mike Tuffrey How exactly will you achieve the London Plan’s target of 30,000 additional homes in London per year considering that new build completions have only totalled approximately half of this number each year since 2000/01?

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249 / 2004 - London Housing Strategy Mike Tuffrey Now that you have actually accepted the need to aim for 30,000 additional homes in London per year, rather than 23,000 which you originally proposed, will the London Housing Strategy be revised, to increase it objective to 30,000 new homes per annum, so that it remains consistent with the London Plan?

250 / 2004 - Housing Subsidy Mike Tuffrey What is the estimated total level of public subsidy required to deliver the stated supply goals of the London Plan (30,000 additional homes per year of which 50% should be affordable). How does this compare with the approximate £1billion per annum that the London Housing Strategy requests from Ministers?

251 / 2004 - Local Enterprise Mike Tuffrey The Exanimation in Public into the Draft London Plan recommended that, in developing London’s economy, one of your specific priorities should be facilitating local enterprise. Why have you resisted including this in the final version of the London Plan?

252 / 2004 - Waste Self-Sufficiency Targets Graham Tope What is your reason for not incorporating into the London Plan regional self-sufficiency targets for waste produced in London, with a timescale for achievement these? When will the Plan be revised to include these targets and how do you plan to monitor progress towards regional self-sufficiency until these objectives have been published?

253 / 2004 - Sub-Regional Waste Facilities Graham Tope Why is not presently possible to quantify the level of waste facilities that each sub-region requires to deal with waste self-sufficiently and sustainably? When will this information be available?

254 / 2004 - Sutton Tramlink extensions Andrew Pelling Peter Hendy quite rightly boasts of the 100% accessibility of Croydon Tramlink in the introduction to the recent 'Transport for all' magazine.

Will TfL's current interest in promoting the Sutton extensions using the frequently deeply-cut heavy rail system out of Sutton station allow for such continued excellent accessibility if this option is pursued?

Clearly there is a very strong political will in Sutton to see this scheme delivered and it would be a shame if emphasis on the heavy rail route option stymied progress.

255 / 2004 - Croydon Tramlink compensation Andrew Pelling Further to my previous questions on this matter, why is compensation to householders next to the Croydon tram still not paid out 14 years after the scheme was first proposed?

13 256 / 2004 - Kensington and Chelsea Survey Angie Bray The survey carried out across the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea by the local authority shows 97 per cent of residents are opposed to your proposal for extending the congestion charge scheme if it uses the Earls Court Road as the western boundary thus splitting the borough in two. 61 per cent are opposed to the extension of your congestion charge scheme in any and all circumstances. Are you intent on forcing this extension on the residents of the Royal Borough in spite of this level of opposition?

257 / 2004 - TfL Consultation into Congestion Charge Expansion Angie Bray The Mayor told the last meeting that the westward extension of the congestion charge was now a ‘medium priority’ along with the West London Tram Line due in 2009; in the light of his comments will he now abandon the wasteful consultation exercise now taking place and put the money to better use.

258 / 2004 - Mayor's Budget Angie Bray Given the excesses of Capita and the resounding rejection of the Mayor’s proposals from west London residents in all recent polls, will the Mayor now remove his plans to extend congestion charging westwards and cut the increase in his budget to just 6.5 per cent?

259 / 2004 - Capita Contracts Angie Bray Given that the Mayor has already handed a massive compensation package to Capita and that Bob Kiley has said Capita is a long way from where it needs to be would the Mayor tell us if they would be operating any extended scheme?

260 / 2004 - Cost of Consultation Angie Bray Will the Mayor give a breakdown of the costs of consultation and how the remaining budget for extending the congestion charge will be distributed in 2004/5?

261 / 2004 - Cost of Extending the Congestion Zone Angie Bray How will the extension of the zone be financed, given current predictions that annually it will only raise £10 million in revenues and that costs of the scheme will be £50-60 million per annum?

262 / 2004 - Traffic Management Angie Bray Could the Mayor explain why a westward extension is required when the most recent evidence (Buchanans) shows that traffic in RBKC moves more quickly than traffic in the current congestion charging zone, indicating that congestion in the area is not a significant issue?

263 / 2004 - Capita Call Centre Angie Bray Will the Mayor explain, why, despite promises that their services have improved, are my local constituents still experiencing occasions when staff at the Capita Call Centre are putting the phone down on them; as first reported in the Evening Telegraph on 24th November 2003? Will he agree with me that this behaviour by Capita staff is completely unacceptable?

14 264 / 2004 - Capita Call Centre Angie Bray Can the Mayor confirm that the Capita Call Centre has staff in two separate buildings? If so, why was a constituent of mine told that she could not be transferred to someone because they were in ‘another building’? Does Capita not have a sufficiently advanced telephone system or was this merely an excuse to try and get rid of the caller?

265 / 2004 - Capita Call Centre Angie Bray Can the Mayor explain why an operative at the Capita Call Centre refused to give out the name of the Capita Chief Executive to whom a constituent of mine wanted to write to regarding a complaint?

266 / 2004 - Congestion Charge Refunds Angie Bray How many people are still waiting for their refunds for mistakes made by Capita?

267 / 2004 - Congestion Charge Refunds Angie Bray What is the average time for people to wait before receiving their refunds from Capita for mistakes made administering the congestion charge?

268 / 2004 - Transport Commissioner Angie Bray Can the Mayor tell me exactly what Bob Kiley does? Can he clarify his role on a day-to-day basis? How much is Mr. Kiley being paid?

269 / 2004 - Transport Commissioner Angie Bray Does the Mayor intend to renew Mr. Kiley’s contract when it expires? If not will he appoint another Transport Commissioner?

270 / 2004 - Effects of Congestion Charging Angie Bray On page 136 of the London Plan you state that thriving local convenience shopping is important, especially for less mobile people and those on low incomes. How then, do you reconcile this with your proposal to split the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea in two through congestion charging, dividing local communities and threatening the livelihood of local shops?

271 / 2004 - Efforts of Kensington & Chelsea Council Angie Bray Will the Mayor praise the efforts of K&C Council in fulfilling policy 3D.3 of his London Plan, namely that ‘boroughs should work with retailers and others to prevent the loss of retail facilities that provide essential convenience and specialist shopping’. In light of this policy will the Mayor now reject any moves to expand the current congestion charging zone as this will have exactly the opposite effect?

272 / 2004 - Effect on the Chinese Community of the Congestion Charge Angie Bray On Page 137 of his London Plan, the Mayor says cultural and creative activities are sometimes priced out of traditional areas. Will the Mayor admit that his own Congestion Charge has had a damaging effect on the China Town area, effectively pricing some members of the Chinese community out of their traditional area of work?

15 273 / 2004 - TfL Consultants Angie Bray Can the Mayor tell me how many consultants are still awaiting payment from TfL? How long, on average do consultants have to wait before being paid?

274 / 2004 - TfL Consultation on Congestion Charge Expansion Angie Bray Can the Mayor reveal what questions will be asked during the public consultation on expanding the congestion charge?

275 / 2004 - Congestion Charge Adjudication Services Angie Bray Can the Mayor tell me why the total cost of adjudication services for the congestion charge stands at £1.574million? Is this because Capita are still making far too many mistakes with their administration? Does the Mayor expect this figure to fall, if Capita as he promises- gets better at their job? 276 / 2004 - London Underground Roger Evans Could the Mayor tell me what his intentions for the Circle line are? Is there any truth in the rumour that it will be broken up, especially if projects like Crossrail and Thameslink 2000 finally go ahead?

277 / 2004 - Oyster Card Roger Evans Could the Mayor elaborate on the reports that the Oyster Card is suffering from bugs, with people finding that they could not get their cards to work at all at London Bridge one evening in January?

278 / 2004 - London Underground Roger Evans Could the Mayor confirm his support for London Underground’s proposals for the redevelopment of Camden Town Station? What are his views on the alternative scheme being put forward by the owners of Camden Market and Arup?

279 / 2004 - Crossrail Roger Evans Does the Mayor consider the London Regional Metro scheme to be a viable alternative to Crossrail and does he think that this scheme could be built without recourse to public funding?

280 / 2004 - Crossrail Roger Evans Two sites, one in Romford and one at Maylands Fields where Havering borders with Brentwood, have been selected as potential sites for maintenance depots for Crossrail, one of which will be finally chosen. One what grounds was the choice narrowed to these two sites and why did Crossrail not choose to use existing railway sidings alongside the proposed route for maintenance depots? Also, what consultation will take place with local people prior to the final location of the maintenance depot being selected?

281 / 2004 - Surface Transport (Traffic Lights) Roger Evans Could the Mayor explain why a case against a man who passed traffic lights at red because the lights were stuck got as far as going before the Magistrate? Equally, why did TfL charge the defendant £100 for a letter exonerating him by confirming that the lights were ‘out’? TfL told him that this was a standard charge, but how do they justify this, given they, and not the citizen, were at fault?

16 282 / 2004 - Surface Transport (Traffic Lights) Roger Evans The junction where The Drive in Redbridge meets Eastern Avenue (A12) is a well-known accident black spot, being particularly hazardous for traffic trying to make a right turn. The junction already has pedestrian lights. Is there any possibility that these lights might be upgraded to include traffic control phasing?

283 / 2004 - Congestion Charge (increase in the value of Penalty Charge Notices) Roger Evans On 2nd February we received a TfL press release regarding consultation on proposed changes to the central London congestion charge scheme. This is to include consultation on the increase in the value of penalty charge notices (PCNs) which will now go ahead because ‘Capita have recently met their second performance milestone as required by the supplemental agreement, demonstrating that improvements have been made’. Given that at the Assembly meeting on 14th January 2004 the Mayor stated that ‘There are still a level of problems we don’t find acceptable’, when did the Mayor know that Capita had met its latest target and how was this sufficient for him to decide that the value of the PCNs could be raised? 284 / 2004 - Congestion Charge Roger Evans Does the Mayor consider the congestion charge to be racist in the terms described to staff at the recent race relations training?

285 / 2004 - Surface Transport (Bendy Buses) Roger Evans Could the Mayor tell me how many fires there have been on bendy (articulated) buses to date? Are these attributable to a design fault?

286 / 2004 - Surface Transport (Buses) Roger Evans Could the Mayor tell me if there are plans to extend the pay-before-you-board scheme for buses to areas outside the central zone, and if so, what are these plans?

287 / 2004 - Surface Transport (Traffic Calming) Roger Evans In his 39th report the Mayor boasts that the congestion charge has speeded up traffic in the zone. Given that the central zone is also heavily used by pedestrians, how does this correlate to the initiatives to slow traffic speeds in order to reduce accidents that the boroughs are being encouraged to implement?

288 / 2004 - London Underground Roger Evans At the TfL board on 11th February, the first major project under PPP was announced as being the track replacement on the south side of the Circle Line between Hammersmith and Whitechapel during the summer of 2004. Could the Mayor explain the implications that this will have for the service on the Circle and District lines over this stretch of line while the replacement takes place?

17 289 / 2004 - Thames Gateway Project Roger Evans There is considerable talk about the infrastructure needed to support Thames Gateway development, yet the only tangible plans we have to date concern transport. There do not appear to be any plans to increase the health or education provision in the area, Transco have told me that there are no plans to lay gas pipelines to Thames Gateway and there remains a risk that the development could flood. Could the Mayor tell me how this regeneration project is going to be supported in terms of providing the crucial services that people need and when we can expect to see plans which include these vital additions to Thames Gateway’s infrastructure?

290 / 2004 - Capital Waste Facts website Roger Evans A colleague of mine tells me that he went to www.capitalwastefacts.com/datacentre.htm to see if he could find information on recycling rates in London’s different boroughs. Having found the information he wanted, he discovered that it was last updated in 2001. Could the Mayor explain why this website has not been updated more recently, and when we can expect to get some more up-to- date information added to the site?

291 / 2004 - GLA Television Roger Evans Are there any plans to televise TfL Board meetings on GLA TV?

292 / 2004 - Freedom Passes Tony Arbour Is the Mayor aware of a failure by the Freedom Passes issued to many pensioners in the Borough of Richmond to be read by the new computerised bus ticketing system? Is this a wide spread problem and how many passes does it effect and how soon will it be rectified?

293 / 2004 - Police Tony Arbour Does the Mayor join with local people in supporting a new police facility in the South of the Royal Borough of Kingston covering the communities of Chessington and Hook?

294 / 2004 - LFEPA costs Tony Arbour Will LFEPA be billing the Cabinet Office or Home Office for the cleaning of the white paint off the security gates at Downing Street? And if so how much will the bill be?

295 / 2004 - GLA precept Tony Arbour Will the Mayor publish the letter he has received from the ODPM about the possible capping of the GLA precept? And will he also publish his reply to this letter?

296 / 2004 - Equalities Training Tony Arbour How much does the GLA spend on Equalities training for staff?

297 / 2004 - Equalities Training Tony Arbour How many contracts does the GLA have with outside bodies to provide Equalities Training for staff? Which companies have successfully bid and what is the contract price per contract?

18 298 / 2004 - Equalities Training Tony Arbour What criteria must organisations have so that they can bid to provide Equalities Training?

299 / 2004 - Hospital Services Tony Arbour Has the Mayor commented on the consultation by the Hounslow PCT on the future provision of hospital services to the Western side of the Borough?

300 / 2004 - Crossrail Bob Neill Is it true that you are prepared to sign a contract with the government under which you would accept financial responsibility for Crossrail?

301 / 2004 - Crossrail Bob Neill How do you expect to raise the money to finance Crossrail and where would the money come from?

302 / 2004 - Crossrail Bob Neill Is it a possibility that tube and bus commuters could be faced with fare increases to help fund the cost of Crossrail?

303 / 2004 - Tony McNulty, MP, meeting Bob Neill Could you please tell us what was discussed at your meeting with Tony McNulty MP on 20th January?

304 / 2004 - Alistair Darling meeting Bob Neill What was discussed at your meeting with Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Transport on 28th January?

305 / 2004 - Network Rail and the SRA Bob Neill With specific reference to the north London sub-region, (p.267, para 5.119 require substantial enhancement to the rail network what guarantees have you received from Network Rail and the SRA that these will delivered?

306 / 2004 - Tall Buildings Bob Neill In some areas for intensification small areas(ha) appear to have a high estimation of new jobs and new homes, are you planning on there being a high proportion of tall buildings in these areas?

307 / 2004 - London Plan Bob Neill Will sections of the London Plan be re-written after the decision is made on the Olympic bid?

308 / 2004 - London Plan Bob Neill Why were the urban capacity discussion with the boroughs not carried out before the publication of the London Plan?

19 309 / 2004 - Affordable Housing Bob Neill Is there a time limit on developers to build affordable housing when it is agreed to be off-site from the main development?

310 / 2004 - Crossrail Elizabeth Howlett Can the Mayor confirm the level of funding which has been secured from the private sector for the Crossrail project, in particular from those businesses on the route that will benefit directly?

311 / 2004 - Transport Infrastructure Elizabeth Howlett The Mayor has said in his plan that housing developments should progress in line with sustainable and improved transport links. If the planned improvement to the transport networks do not progress on time? How will London cope?

312 / 2004 - Commuting Elizabeth Howlett How can Levels of commuting needs to be contained in line with sustainable planning and increasing strains on public transport?

313 / 2004 - Thameslink 2000 Elizabeth Howlett Late trains is something we have all experienced. However, even the Mayor must admit that waiting 4 years for one would be totally unacceptable. Has the Mayor therefore given any thought to revising the name of the scheme to reflect the year in which it MAY be completed?

314 / 2004 - Public Health Awareness Elizabeth Howlett The Mayor has declared his intention to produce additional guidance to local authorities in London on the issue of pubic health. When will he do this?

315 / 2004 - Health and Planning Elizabeth Howlett What measures has the London Mayor taken to ensure that high-density residential developments will only proceed once there has been an effective assessment of the provision of public services in the area?

316 / 2004 - Tourism Industry Recovery Package Andrew Pelling It appears that the early phases of the Tourism Industry Recovery Package were successful. What measures of success can you specify?

317 / 2004 - Development of tourist hotels in outer London Andrew Pelling Are there any proposals within the London Plan which would encourage the development of hotels for tourists in outer London? There are quite often key transport nodal points where accommodation can be provided at more bargain rates for the tourists we would like to see returning to London whilst also providing speedy connections into the centre of London.

20 318 / 2004 - London Plan Andrew Pelling Is there any guidance within the London Plan that would encourage the development of a much needed conference centre of international standard within London?

319 / 2004 - New communities along the Thames Gateway Andrew Pelling With your intention to promote a very significant increase in housing along the Thames Gateway, what can be done to ensure that there is a sense of place created for these new communities?

320 / 2004 - Greenwich Mela Meg Hillier Given that the Greenwich Mela was supported by the Greater London Authority what prospect is there of the Waltham Forest Mela receiving similar support?

321 / 2004 - St Patrick's Day Meg Hillier How many tenders did your receive to run the London 2004 St Patrick’s Day celebrations after your August invitation to tender? After your second advert inviting tenders? How many potential organisers were interviewed before the contract was awarded?

322 / 2004 - New Year's Eve 2003 Meg Hillier Why was a decision to share insurance cost with Live Ltd, organisers of New Year’s Eve 2003, only made in December 2003? Was this part of the original contract?

323 / 2004 - Chinese New Year 2005 Meg Hillier You contributed £15,000 toward the celebration of Chinese New Year in London. What plans do you have to fund Chinese New Year 2005?

324 / 2004 - Events Meg Hillier Can you list by event your proposed expenditure on events in London for the next financial year (2004/2005)?

325 / 2004 - Bus Routs 905 Meg Hillier Do you acknowledge that the removal of the 505 bus service in Chingford and the reduction of the replacement mobility service the 905 from two to one days a week is a significant reduction in service? What is your advice to the users of the 905? If more people used the 905 would Transport for London increase the service?

326 / 2004 - Bus Route 73 Meg Hillier What studies have Transport for London undertaken to ensure that a bendy bus is suitable for the 73 bus route? Has any particular consideration been given to the logistics of what will happen when two buses travelling in opposite directions meet in Stoke Newington Church Street?

21 327 / 2004 - Bus Route 73 Meg Hillier If bendy buses are introduced on the 73 route will there be a saving to the Transport for London budget because the route will no longer require bus conductors? If so how much and how do you propose to use this?

328 / 2004 - Bus Route 73 Meg Hillier If bendy buses are introduced on the 73 bus route will Transport for London be monitoring the service with a view to increasing frequency if the proposed reduction in frequency reduces the service?

329 / 2004 - Bus Route 388 Meg Hillier What progress is there on the WS Atkins review of the 388 bus in Victoria Park? Will it take into account the problem of people walking home in the dark from Well Street/ Cassland Road to Victoria Park Road? Are there any specific proposals to tackle this to improve the safety of the journey home for those passengers?

330 / 2004 - Road Calming Measures Meg Hillier What is your view of the approach taken by Islington Council to spending the money provided by Transport for London for road calming measures?

331 / 2004 - Ticket Touting at Walthamstow Central Meg Hillier Will you promise to take up concerns about the problems of ticket touting at Walthamstow Central, the subsequent closure of the ticket office after 9pm and the performance of British Transport Police when your officials next meet with WAGN and BTP?

332 / 2004 - King’s Cross Darren Johnson Given that the fixed stairway between the main ticket hall and the Victoria line at Kings Cross station has been blocked off, and is due to be replaced with another escalator, has the impact of this on travellers with guide dogs been considered?

333 / 2004 - Pet Shops Darren Johnson If councils refuse to act against pet shops which they have licensed but which are breaking the terms of their licenses, and which are subject to hundreds of complaints, can the Mayor suggest how these councils can be made to carry out their obligations to the animals?

334 / 2004 - Mini cabs Darren Johnson When will mini cabs be obliged to display their license plates on the rear of their cabs?

335 / 2004 - Erith Marshes Noel Lynch Have you visited Southmere Green at Erith Marshes where planning permission has been given for a large industrial business park? If not, would you be willing to visit the site?

336 / 2004 - Tiflin Land Noel Lynch In addition to the White Hart Triangle scheme, is the LDA involved in other partnership schemes with Tilfen Land Ltd? What resources or assistance has the LDA contributed to each such scheme? 22

337 / 2004 - Tiflin Land Ltd and Erith Marshes Noel Lynch Given: 1. that there is partnership involvement of public sector bodies (such as LDA, ERDF, government and boroughs) with many Tilfen Land Ltd remediation and development schemes; 2. that Tilfen Land Ltd claims that it promotes high environmental standards; 3. that Tilfen Land Ltd inherited the Southmere Green grazing marsh site; 4. that Tilfen Land Ltd is wholly owned by a local Thamesmead charitable trust and housing association, do you agree that the company should be receptive to an approach from the public sector, led by yourself, to dissuade it from developing virgin green field land at Erith Marshes and to persuade it to relocate the proposed industrial business park at one of the 16 brownfield sites identified in the immediate vicinity? Are you sure you have done all you possibly can to prevent this very damaging development from proceeding?

338 / 2004 - Public toilets at Tube Stations Noel Lynch How many London Underground stations have public toilets?

339 / 2004 - Olympic bid advertising campaign Noel Lynch How much money is being spent on the Olympics bid advertising campaign?

340 / 2004 - Olympic bid advertising campaign Noel Lynch Can you confirm that part of the Olympics bid advertising campaign will involve large posters being driven around London for 5 days on 15 ad-vans? Is this type of activity consistent with your environmental principles for the Olympics?

340 / 2004 - Social Deprivation and the Environment Jenny Jones Are you aware of the recent report written for the Environment Agency showing the link between social deprivation and the impacts of pollution? Will you look at the recommendations and ensure that the whole GLA family considers environmental equality when carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment? Also, will you undertake to identify 'pollution-poverty' areas so as to identify those communities most in need of remedial action?

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