Friday, October 05, 2007

Crossrail to go ahead - again

I see that the decision to go ahead with the Crossrail project has been announced again.

This makes me feel all nostalgic. For this decision - along with an end to safari holidays for young offenders - was announced at every single Conservative Conference while John Major was prime minister.

It was received enthusiastically each time and no one thought to question why no tunnel was ever bored and to no track was ever laid.

This explains the response from Geoff Pope, the Liberal Democrat transport spokesman on the London Assembly:
"Nobody is questioning the crucial role Crossrail will play in the development of London's transport infrastructure.

But today's announcement is exactly that: yet another announcement. The much needed £16bn project is by no means home and dry. Over twenty years of dithering have put the project back and one big question remains unanswered: where's the money?

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, when we see ring-fenced Crossrail cash in the Comprehensive Spending Review. Only then will it be time to celebrate."

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