CROSSRAIL COLLAPSE BITTER BLOW FOR LIVINGSTONE LANDED BY BROWN

1.57.36pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 5th Jul 2004

Commenting on reports that the plan for the Crossrail London train link are threatened with collapse by the announcements set to be made in the Spending Review on the 12th July, and the announcement by Lord Coe and the Mayor of 200 free trains an hour for the Olympics, Liberal Democrat London Transport Spokesman, Lynne Featherstone said:-

"After he was re-elected, the Mayor told reporters that the Crossrail project was one of his top priorities. If the reports of Crossrail being shelved are true, then it will come as a bitter blow landed on Ken Livingstone by Gordon Brown.

"It's a disgrace that Mr Livingstone has never once had an official meeting with Gordon Brown in the four years he's been Mayor. The Mayor needed to get the Chancellor on side for the Crossrail project - so why no face to face talks ?

"While these proposals for free trains for the Olympics are welcome, it will expose the severe transport capacity problems London's train infrastructure faces without the East London extensions and Crossrail.

"The case for Crossrail has been made many times over. It is time to get the Montague report published, hear the thoughts of the public and get a railway built that links east and west London together. Dither and delay already threaten the Olympics but we also risk putting the whole Thames Gateway regeneration project in jeopardy."

ENDS

Notes to editors

According to Parliamentary answers obtained by the Liberal Democrats, Ken Livingstone has never had an official meeting with Gordon Brown since he became Mayor of London.

Ministerial Meetings

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the official meetings he has had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 and (b) the dates and subject of each meeting. [170570]

Ruth Kelly [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The Chancellor has had no official meetings with the Mayor since July 2000.

5 May 2004 : Column 1505W