Transport for London

Kiley Plan: 85% of Tube trains new or refurbished within seven-and-a-half years
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date 26 April 2001
source Transport for London
type Press release

Commissioner of Transport for London Bob Kiley today welcomed support from the leaders of London's key communities as he unveiled Transport for London's (TfL) detailed management and financial plans for regeneration of the London Underground (LU).

At a breakfast briefing this morning, Mr Kiley revealed his plan would see 85 per cent of LU's 4,000-strong fleet of Underground carriages new or efurbished within the first seven-and-a-half years of TfL's tenure.

TfL would also begin work on a detailed line-by-line and station-by-station plan for the regeneration of the LU immediately upon taking control of the network.

Mr Kiley said: "What I am proposing is a publicly accountable plan for the London Underground that will see real improvements in the fundamental infrastructure - the trains, tracks, tunnels, signalling and stations.

My plan will provide trains that are new or refurbished within seven-and-a-half years of TfL taking control of LU.

The Government's PPP is unable to specify particular improvements during this period.

"And what's more, we'll make our plans publicly available so that every Londoner, MP, GLA member and business leader can see exactly what's been promised where, when it will be ready and who's responsible - month-by-month, line-by-line and station-by-station."

Mr Kiley today presented his "Proposed Management Plan for the London Underground" to London's business community, MPs, GLA members, union leaders and passenger groups as he once again called on LU's parent body London Transport (LT) to refrain from pressing ahead with the naming of preferred bidders under the much criticised PPP plans in advance of the forthcoming Judicial Review.

LT has announced its intention to name the preferred bidders for the deep level lines under their PPP plans on May 2, more than a month prior to the Judicial Review on June 12.

Mr Kiley has been reviewing the bids by the PPP consortia since April 11, when LT unilaterally imposed the "truncated" consultation period of just 10 working days, ending tomorrow (April 27) at 1700hrs.

"I have often been quoted as saying that the Government's PPP plans for the Tube are 'fundamentally flawed'.

Nothing further I have seen since I began reviewing the PPP bids during LT's truncated consultation period has made me change my mind.

"On the contrary, I have become even more convinced that if PPP goes ahead, London and those who live, work and do business here will regret it for the next 30 years."

Railhub Archive ::: 2001-04-26 TfL-001