Garden bridge paused

[Recliner]

From:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/11/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-blocks-extra-funds-garden-bridge

Extract:

The future of London’s proposed garden bridge has been called into further
question after the city’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, halted preparatory work on
the structure over fears this could involve more public money being spent.

Khan officially backs the plan for the 367-metre tree- and plant-filled
bridge, but only on the condition that no more public funding is made
available for its construction. So far, £60m of public money has been
committed to the £175m structure.

Part of the initial work has involved London Underground strengthening the
structure of Temple tube station by the Thames so the north end of the
bridge could sit on top of it. Transport for London’s (TfL) finance and
policy committee had been due on Friday to formally approve £3m in extra
spending on this, but Khan has ordered a halt so the funding can be
examined by the committee, according to the Architects’ Journal.

It comes just over a week after the National Audit Office announced it was
investigating another element of the public funding for the bridge – the
£30m of £60m given by the Department for Transport. Separately, the Charity
Commission is looking into the spending of the Garden Bridge Trust, which
is behind the project.

The trust was due to repay the £3m for the work at Temple tube, so it is
possible the work will begin again. However, Khan’s decision both risks
delaying completion of a project due to open in 2018, and illustrates how
less sympathetic the new mayor is to the Thomas Heatherwick-designed bridge
than his predecessor, Boris Johnson.

... Continues

[Offramp]

Sounds a bit odd: a charity benefiting the Garden Bridge.

[Recliner]

On Mon, 11 Jul 2016 03:44:42 -0700 (PDT), Offramp

Post by Offramp
Sounds a bit odd: a charity benefiting the Garden Bridge.

The charity represents those behind the bridge:
https://www.gardenbridge.london/about-garden-bridge-trust

[Robin9]

http://tinyurl.com/zvmm6lr
The future of London’s proposed garden bridge has been called int
further
question after the city’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, halted preparator
work on
the structure over fears this could involve more public money bein
spent.
Khan officially backs the plan for the 367-metre tree- and plant-filled
bridge, but only on the condition that no more public funding is made
available for its construction. So far, £60m of public money has been
committed to the £175m structure.
Part of the initial work has involved London Underground strengthenin
the
structure of Temple tube station by the Thames so the north end of the
bridge could sit on top of it. Transport for London’s (TfL) financ
and
policy committee had been due on Friday to formally approve £3m i
extra
spending on this, but Khan has ordered a halt so the funding can be
examined by the committee, according to the Architects’ Journal.
It comes just over a week after the National Audit Office announced i
was
investigating another element of the public funding for the bridge â€
the
£30m of £60m given by the Department for Transport. Separately, th
Charity
Commission is looking into the spending of the Garden Bridge Trust
which
is behind the project.
The trust was due to repay the £3m for the work at Temple tube, so i
is
possible the work will begin again. However, Khan’s decision bot
risks
delaying completion of a project due to open in 2018, and illustrate
how
less sympathetic the new mayor is to the Thomas Heatherwick-designe
bridge
than his predecessor, Boris Johnson.
.... Continues

Very strange. Just two weeks ago, Mr. Khan was saying
that completing the project would provide the taxpayer with
better value for money than cancelling it as £40 million had
already been spent.

I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed


--
Robin9

[Recliner]

Post by Robin9

http://tinyurl.com/zvmm6lr
The future of London’s proposed garden bridge has been called into
further
question after the city’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, halted preparatory
work on
the structure over fears this could involve more public money being spent.
Khan officially backs the plan for the 367-metre tree- and plant-filled
bridge, but only on the condition that no more public funding is made
available for its construction. So far, £60m of public money has been
committed to the £175m structure.
Part of the initial work has involved London Underground strengthening the
structure of Temple tube station by the Thames so the north end of the
bridge could sit on top of it. Transport for London’s (TfL) finance
and
policy committee had been due on Friday to formally approve £3m in
extra
spending on this, but Khan has ordered a halt so the funding can be
examined by the committee, according to the Architects’ Journal.
It comes just over a week after the National Audit Office announced it was
investigating another element of the public funding for the bridge –
the
£30m of £60m given by the Department for Transport. Separately, the
Charity
Commission is looking into the spending of the Garden Bridge Trust, which
is behind the project.
The trust was due to repay the £3m for the work at Temple tube, so it
is
possible the work will begin again. However, Khan’s decision both
risks
delaying completion of a project due to open in 2018, and illustrates how
less sympathetic the new mayor is to the Thomas Heatherwick-designed bridge
than his predecessor, Boris Johnson.
.... Continues

Very strange. Just two weeks ago, Mr. Khan was saying
that completing the project would provide the taxpayer with
better value for money than cancelling it as £40 million had
already been spent.
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?

I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground? Have any materials been ordered or components
fabricated? Or has the expense just been on the design and architecture
work?

I don't think Khan is actually a fan of the project, but is probably trying
to devise a way of getting out of it without TfL getting dumped with a big
cancellation charge. By freezing TfL's contribution he either offloads the
cost increases on to the bridge's supporters, or forces them to be the ones
to cancel it, letting TfL off the hook. Either way, he gets to dump the
blame on Boris for his sloppy management of the contract.

[Roland Perry]

In message
<821445289.489940959.082836.recliner.ng-***@news.eternal-septe
mber.org>, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?

I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?

There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

[Offramp]

Mulch.

[Recliner]

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org>, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?

I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?

There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524

So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary
airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still
running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms,
no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff.

[s***@potato.field]

On Tue, 26 Jul 2016 04:52:06 -0000 (UTC)

Post by Roland Perry
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.

Can't say I'm surprised. A nice idea in times of plenty, but completely
inappropriate right now when the money could be spent on far more important
projects.

airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still
running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms,

Wonder how long before the doors close on the cable car. Its obviously losing
money and that can't be sustained for long.

no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff.

Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of
the ground work being done by Ken.

--
Spud

[Offramp]

Post by s***@potato.field

Post by Recliner
no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff.

Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of
the ground work being done by Ken.

That's what I thought.

[Mizter T]

Post by Offramp

Post by s***@potato.field

Post by Recliner
no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff.

Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of
the ground work being done by Ken.

That's what I thought.

The broad concept - and indeed name - of the "Cycle Superhighways"
merged towards the end of Ken's second term.

They concept has developed since they were first launched, with far more
of a focus on segregated cycleways.

I'm no fan of Mr Johnson (never have been, but even less so of late),
however I think he can justifiably claim some credit for them. They were
disruptive to build, and involved reallocating road space away from
vehicles. Hopefully now the concept has some momentum that the current
and future Mayors can latch on to.

[Mike Bristow]

Post by s***@potato.field
On Tue, 26 Jul 2016 04:52:06 -0000 (UTC)

Post by Recliner

Post by Roland Perry
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.

Can't say I'm surprised. A nice idea in times of plenty, but completely
inappropriate right now when the money could be spent on far more important
projects.

Even in times of plenty, it's a stunningly poor execution. It should be a
public space - not a semi-private one.

Also, a long way east. But that's another argument.

Post by s***@potato.field

Post by Recliner
airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still
running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms,

Wonder how long before the doors close on the cable car. Its obviously losing
money and that can't be sustained for long.

It's the thurd best tourist attraction that TfL run - after the
meuseum and the heritage bus routes. (Acton is for transport nerds,
not tourists).

Post by s***@potato.field

Post by Recliner
no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff.

Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of
the ground work being done by Ken.

I think it's fair to say that Boris' administration pushed cycling a long
way. While there was work prior to his administration, the game-changing
stuff happened under him.

[tim...]

Post by Recliner

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org>, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?

I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?

There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.

Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about
something

it seems nuts

tim

[Recliner]

Post by tim...

Post by Recliner

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org>, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?

I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?

There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.

Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about
something
it seems nuts

It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

[Paul Corfield]

On Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:07:57 -0000 (UTC), Recliner

Post by Recliner
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

Cancel it, kill it, get rid of it, don't give Heatherwick one penny of
public money for his disastrous design.

[Recliner]

Post by Paul Corfield
On Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:07:57 -0000 (UTC), Recliner

Post by Recliner
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

Cancel it, kill it, get rid of it, don't give Heatherwick one penny of
public money for his disastrous design.

I'm not against the design, but London doesn't need a new footbridge so
close to Waterloo bridge, and it doesn't need a small, new, hideously
expensive g arden in the middle of the river. And there's no reason why so
much, or indeed any, of the funding should come out of London's public
transport budget. If it was felt that Temple Tube station really needed a
new footbridge link to the South Bank, it would cost a small fraction of
what Boris committed TfL to spend on this redundant bridge. But I've not
heard any clamour for such a link.

There are many other places on the Thames that could use new bridges, and
no doubt there are plenty of bits of derelict land that could be turned
into new public parks. But this project is an over-priced solution to a
non-existent problem.

[Robin9]

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?
I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.-
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, afte
£38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris i
the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in Cit
Hall.-
Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking abou
something
it seems nuts-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster"
designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he


--
Robin9

[Recliner]

Post by Robin9

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?
I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.-
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is
the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City
Hall.-
Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about
something
it seems nuts-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster"
designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he?

That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen
using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be
based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people.

Quote:

Lumley has known Heatherwick for a long time – at least since 2004, when
her autobiography described him as a designer of “incomparable originality”
– and Johnson for much longer. When the Heatherwick Studio submitted its
bridge design to Transport for London in 2013, it listed “Joanna” as an
associate who had worked with it for more than a decade – she had been
“involved with the strategic development of a number of the studio’s
self-initiated public projects in London”. And when, on a BBC show the same
year, Alan Yentob gently quizzed Lumley about how Johnson had reacted to
her plan, she said: “I’ve known Boris since he was four, so he was largely
quite amenable.”

Human beings are, of course, social animals and tend to combine in their
own interest (some Dorset labourers were transported to Australia for it).
The question now arising is whether this London combination broke the
rules. Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act and some diligent work last
year by the Architects’ Journal, we know that Lumley wrote to Johnson soon
after his re-election in 2012 saying she wanted to talk to him “most
earnestly” about her bridge – and that the mayor replied that, much though
he would like to hear her ideas, his packed diary meant that instead she
would need to meet his deputy mayor for transport and chief of staff.

Nonetheless, this meeting had its effect. Transport for London decided that
“a new footbridge … connecting the South Bank with the Temple area” was a
feasible idea. No mention of gardens there, or in the invitation-to-tender
document that followed in 2013, when TfL invited three architects to submit
footbridge designs and gave higher marks to Heatherwick in the “relevant
design experience” category, despite the other two firms having designed
many more bridges than Heatherwick Studio, which, at that time, had only
one to its name. Its winning design was for what Lumley had always wanted,
a garden bridge, though that can hardly have come as a surprise to her
given that Heatherwick and Johnson were together promoting the garden
bridge idea on a trip to San Francisco in January, 2013 – before TfL
decided in favour of the Heatherwick design.

The last and most recent disclosure prompted Jane Duncan, president of the
Royal Institute of British Architects, to call this week for a halt to the
project and an investigation into the procurement process, given “the
amount of public money at stake and the seriousness of the allegations”.
The RIBA isn’t the first body to worry. Last month the National Audit
Office said that a “high degree of uncertainty” hung over the bridge’s
value for money, and that the taxpayers’ £60m was at greater risk than the
private funding.

From
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/13/why-is-londons-garden-bridge-worth-as-much-as-five-lancashire-museums-ask-joanna-lumley

[tim...]

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?
I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.-
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is
the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City
Hall.-
Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about
something
it seems nuts-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster"
designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he?

That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen
using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be
based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people.

And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out
what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on.

For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government,
amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could
have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one
somewhere else.

tim

[Recliner]

Post by tim...

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?
I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.-
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is
the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City
Hall.-
Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about
something
it seems nuts-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster"
designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he?

That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen
using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be
based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people.

And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out
what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on.

I know, it's baffling. I wonder if it will turn out that consultants chosen
by the sainted Joanna have been billing large amounts?

Post by tim...
For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government,
amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could
have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one
somewhere else.

Yup, and London doesn't even need another bridge there; it's too close to
Waterloo bridge. A couple of perfectly serviceable, simple footbridges
could have been erected in more useful places along the river. And, for not
much more, we could probably have had a nice new riverside park somewhere
as well.

[Offramp]

Post by tim...
And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out
what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on.
For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government,
amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could
have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one
somewhere else.

I think that if the project had run its course and cost about 70 million then people might have shrugged and said, Seems a lot but there you go.
As it is people are looking at a big sore thumb.

[Recliner]

Post by tim...

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?
I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?
There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.-
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is
the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City
Hall.-
Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about
something
it seems nuts-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199

I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster"
designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he?

That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen
using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be
based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people.

And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out
what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on.
For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government,
amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could
have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one
somewhere else.

http://www.cityam.com/249834/sadiq-khan-has-recruited-margaret-hodge-lead-new-garden

[h***@yahoo.co.uk]

Post by Recliner

Post by Roland Perry
In message
mber.org>, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner

Post by Recliner

Post by Robin9
I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far.
What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the
£60 million committed?

I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been
done on the ground?

There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the
garden bridge or not, I don't know.

Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the
only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524
So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary
airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still
running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms,
no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff.

I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows
made for a rather unpleasant ride.

[Mizter T]

Post by h***@yahoo.co.uk

Post by Recliner
[...]
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris
is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in
City Hall.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524
So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary
airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car
(still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open
platforms, no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the
cycling stuff.

I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows
made for a rather unpleasant ride.

You've only just noticed?

They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing.

[s***@potato.field]

On Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:41 +0100

Post by Mizter T

Post by h***@yahoo.co.uk
I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows
made for a rather unpleasant ride.

You've only just noticed?
They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing.

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the design meeting and hear the
rational for not including them when they knew they weren't putting in proper
air con to compensate. How an old and well respected bus manufacturer can
make such a blunder beggars belief.

--
Spud

[Recliner]

Post by s***@potato.field
On Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:41 +0100

Post by Mizter T

Post by h***@yahoo.co.uk
I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows
made for a rather unpleasant ride.

You've only just noticed?
They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing.

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the design meeting and hear the
rational for not including them when they knew they weren't putting in proper
air con to compensate. How an old and well respected bus manufacturer can
make such a blunder beggars belief.

Perhaps it doesn't get warm enough in Belfast for them to realise that the
buses would need proper aircon in London? Of course, that would need the
engine to keep running even more of the time in hot weather.

[David Jackman]

Post by s***@potato.field
On Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:41 +0100

Post by Mizter T

Post by h***@yahoo.co.uk
I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of
windows made for a rather unpleasant ride.

You've only just noticed?
They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing.

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the design meeting and hear
the rational for not including them when they knew they weren't
putting in proper air con to compensate. How an old and well respected
bus manufacturer can make such a blunder beggars belief.
--
Spud

Especially as the exact same mistake was made with FRM1 in 1966:

http://www.routemaster.org.uk/pages/history-1-FRM

David

[h***@yahoo.co.uk]

Post by Mizter T

Post by h***@yahoo.co.uk

Post by Recliner
[...]
Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m
has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris
is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in
City Hall.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524
So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary
airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car
(still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open
platforms, no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the
cycling stuff.

I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows
made for a rather unpleasant ride.

You've only just noticed?
They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing.

I was on one a few years ago, though I thought that they would have
installed windows that open by now.

What's with the exhaust on them, BTW? Somehow I was under the impression
that it may not have properly vented.

[Offramp]

38,000,000 smackeroos on 50 tonnes of manure and a few commissioned songs from Rambling Syd Rummpo! It's just not good enough!

[Offramp]

I saw an update in the Times on Saturday, but their articles are nonhyperlinkable, so here's a BBC update:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39524979
"A project to build a bridge covered with trees and shrubs across the Thames in London should be scrapped, a review has found.
Dame Margaret Hodge's review said it would be better to ditch the Garden Bridge than risk uncertain costs.
Three months ago the Garden Bridge Trust admitted its future was in doubt after publishing accounts which showed a £70m shortfall in funding.
Initially £60m of public money was pledged on planning for the bridge.
Transport for London pledged £30m, but £20m of that was to be a loan, and the rest was from central government.
Dame Margaret says £37.4m had already been spent, and even if the bridge did not go ahead it would cost the taxpayer £46.4m."

Is even worse than wot I funk.

[Recliner]

Post by Offramp
I saw an update in the Times on Saturday, but their articles are
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39524979
"A project to build a bridge covered with trees and shrubs across the
Thames in London should be scrapped, a review has found.
Dame Margaret Hodge's review said it would be better to ditch the Garden
Bridge than risk uncertain costs.
Three months ago the Garden Bridge Trust admitted its future was in doubt
after publishing accounts which showed a £70m shortfall in funding.
Initially £60m of public money was pledged on planning for the bridge.
Transport for London pledged £30m, but £20m of that was to be a loan, and
the rest was from central government.
Dame Margaret says £37.4m had already been spent, and even if the bridge
did not go ahead it would cost the taxpayer £46.4m."
Is even worse than wot I funk.

Yes, it keeps getting worse in every report. And as discussed here
previously, it's extraordinary how much public money has apparently been
spent so early in the project, with the plans not even finalised and no
physical work done. A great deal must have been spent on architects,
consultants, lawyers, engineers, PR firms, etc.

Here's a more detailed report:

http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2017/04/garden-bridge-should-be-scrapped-finds-hodge-report

Extract:

The £200m Garden Bridge project does not offer taxpayers value for money
and should be scrapped, a review by Margaret Hodge has concluded.

The report, commissioned by London mayor Sadiq Khan, published today, found
the £60m cost to taxpayers for the scheme, which is significantly
over-budget, could not be justified.

Hodge, who is the former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said she
found “too many things wrong” with the development and implementation of
the Garden Bridge Project.

“Value for money for the taxpayer has not been secured. It would be better
for the taxpayer to accept the financial loss of cancelling the project
than to risk the potential uncertain additional costs to the public purse
if the project proceeds,” she added.

“In the present climate, with continuing pressures on public spending, it
is difficult to justify further public investment in the Garden Bridge.”

She urged the mayor to not to sign any guarantees until it is confirmed
that the private capital and revenue monies have been secured by the Garden
Bridge Trust.

The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

The costs of the project have escalated from an early estimate of £60m to
over £200m today.

Also, risks to the taxpayer have intensified, Hodge said, and the original
ambition to fund the Garden Bridge through private finance has been
abandoned. The Garden Bridge Trust has lost two major private donors and
can count on pledges of only £69m, with no new pledges secured since August
2016.

A public sector contribution of £60m would still leave a gap in capital
funding of at least £70m. Moreover, very little progress has been made on
raising money to fund the ongoing maintenance of a completed bridge, the
report said.

The two TfL procurement rounds for the scheme were deemed neither open nor
fair, revealing systemic failures and ineffective control systems at many
levels.

Hodge concluded that the Garden Bridge Trust’s finances are in a precarious
state and many outstanding risks remain unresolved.

Responding to the report, Sadiq Khan confirmed that he would not invest any
further public money in the proposed bridge, which would span the River
Thames from Temple station to the South Bank, and had been scheduled to
open in 2019.

[Roland Perry]

In message
<4251661.513444919.324608.recliner.ng-***@news.eternal-septemb
er.org>, at 15:44:10 on Sun, 9 Apr 2017, Recliner

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles

Boris bikes in charge. What could possibly go wrong!

Post by Recliner
than value for taxpayers’ money.

[Offramp]

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

I'd like to read a fuller version of that! It sounds very important.

[Recliner]

Post by Offramp

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

I'd like to read a fuller version of that! It sounds very important.

This timing looks like the bridge might have been intended to influence the
2015 general election and 2016 mayoral election:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_Bridge#Initial_planning_approval

However, I don't think that was the main factor of the timing. Much more
likely, Boris wanted to get it all approved and construction underway while
he was still mayor, as he knew his successor was unlikely to share his
enthusiasm for La Lumley's grand vision. Had he followed the proper
procurement procedures the process would have taken longer. The outcome
would still have been the same --no bridge-- but it would have cost less to
get there.

[Clive Page]

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and
found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by those
opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and
inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was
approved.

[Recliner]

Post by Clive Page

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and
found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by those
opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and
inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was
approved.

Looks like it's all over bar the shouting:

Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050

I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it
fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassing
failure of the project, and waste of public funds.

[r***@ntlworld.com]

Post by Recliner

Post by Clive Page

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and
found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by those
opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and
inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was
approved.

Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050
I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it
fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassing
failure of the project, and waste of public funds.

Yes, this was discussed in detail on yesterday's James O'Brien
radio show on LBC.

I've never had a high opinion of our Mayor, but I think he got
this one right. The entire project has been a disgrace and I'm
glad it was not allowed to come to fruition.

[d***@yahoo.co.uk]

Post by r***@ntlworld.com

Post by Recliner
Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050

I've never had a high opinion of our Mayor, but I think he got
this one right. The entire project has been a disgrace and I'm
glad it was not allowed to come to fruition.

Joanna Lumley will be assembling a team of Gurkhas to Avenge the
decision as we speak.

G.Harman

[s***@potato.field]

On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 02:36:39 -0700 (PDT)

Post by r***@ntlworld.com

Post by Recliner

=20

The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more=

by

Post by Recliner

electoral cycles than value for taxpayers=E2=80=99 money.

=20
I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and=20
found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by thos=

e=20

Post by Recliner

opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and=20
inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was=20
approved.

=20
=20
Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050
=20
I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it
fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassin=

g

Post by Recliner
failure of the project, and waste of public funds.

Yes, this was discussed in detail on yesterday's James O'Brien
radio show on LBC.

No doubt inbetween questioning the IQ of anyone who voted Brexit, wondering
what the problem is of uncontrolled immigration and extolling the virtues of
multiculturalism while living in his middle class bein pensant enclave in
Chiswick. He's the biggest dick on radio.

[r***@ntlworld.com]

Post by s***@potato.field
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 02:36:39 -0700 (PDT)

Post by r***@ntlworld.com

Post by Recliner

=20

The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more=

by

Post by Recliner

electoral cycles than value for taxpayers=E2=80=99 money.

=20
I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and=20
found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by thos=

e=20

Post by Recliner

opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and=20
inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was=20
approved.

=20
=20
Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050
=20
I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it
fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassin=

g

Post by Recliner
failure of the project, and waste of public funds.

Yes, this was discussed in detail on yesterday's James O'Brien
radio show on LBC.

No doubt inbetween questioning the IQ of anyone who voted Brexit, wondering
what the problem is of uncontrolled immigration and extolling the virtues of
multiculturalism while living in his middle class bein pensant enclave in
Chiswick. He's the biggest dick on radio.
--
Spud

I agree with your opinion of him, and I'd add self-righteousness
to his list of failings. My problem is that after ten o'clock
there's little else worth listening to on the radio while I'm
driving.

[Basil Jet]

Post by r***@ntlworld.com
My problem is that after ten o'clock
there's little else worth listening to on the radio while I'm
driving.

I download podcasts to my phone at home and listen to them while I'm
driving. The On Our Line podcasts might be appropriate.

[s***@potato.field]

On Sun, 30 Apr 2017 03:12:52 -0700 (PDT)

Post by r***@ntlworld.com

Post by s***@potato.field
No doubt inbetween questioning the IQ of anyone who voted Brexit, wondering
what the problem is of uncontrolled immigration and extolling the virtues of
multiculturalism while living in his middle class bein pensant enclave in
Chiswick. He's the biggest dick on radio.
--
Spud

I agree with your opinion of him, and I'd add self-righteousness
to his list of failings. My problem is that after ten o'clock

Yes, he does like to polish his halo somewhat.

Post by r***@ntlworld.com
there's little else worth listening to on the radio while I'm
driving.

I've switched from LBC to talkRadio which was re-launched last year. Its a far
better and more varied station than LBC, which sadly has become little more
than Politics FM in recent years with effectively the same tedious program
being broadcast 24/7 waffling on about the same dull front page topics except
that they change the presenter every 3 hours. The only time I listen to it now
is when Steve Allen is on if I'm up early enough or for traffic news.

[Theo]

Post by Offramp

Post by Recliner
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by
electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.

I'd like to read a fuller version of that! It sounds very important.

https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/garden_bridge_review_0.pdf

Theo

[Offramp]

Something that might resuscitate this silly project is Lumley saying "We have decided to name the bridge The Queen Elizabeth the Second Sapphire Jubilee Garden Bridge."

Then anyone against the bridge would be a Communist and a traitor.

[Optimist]

Post by Offramp
Something that might resuscitate this silly project is Lumley saying "We have decided to name the bridge The Queen Elizabeth the Second Sapphire Jubilee Garden Bridge."
Then anyone against the bridge would be a Communist and a traitor.

It should be called Patsy's Absolutely Fabulous Bridge.

---
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