National Audit Office investigation in to failure of Tube PPP deal "welcome" - Pope

3.10.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 30th Aug 2007

Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson Geoff Pope today welcomed the news that the National Audit Office is considering investigating the PPP deal on the Tube, part of which deal has resulted in Metronet going in to administration.

"An NAO investigation will no doubt discover what many commentators have said of the PPP deal in the past" said Geoff Pope. "I welcome the investigation."

"When Chancellor Gordon Brown forced an unwanted and expensive deal on London, the Liberal Democrats repeatedly warned that it would end in tears. Now we need to find out exactly how much this ill-fated deal cost the taxpayer - money which would have been far better spent on improving the transport network."

"Its not too late for Gordon Brown and his senior advisers to hold their hands up and say 'we were wrong', but I am not holding my breath."