HappydaysARE here …. For the record, I have said on another thread that I do not believe that Boris would eventually make a good PM, based on the ‘noise’ that seems to surround him, but I suspect those outside the Conservatives are more worried about the prospect, as they seem to protesteth-eth eth so much.
Re his record in London and the points you have raised.
Re spending on London Buses …. Which I’d call useful ‘infrastructure’ over a Livingstone space cadet satellite, I’d say the final design decision was Boris’s, but didn’t Livingstone come to power saying he’d keep the old Routemasters I remember using everyday, but then in 2004 change his mind to ALL the old buses being replaced?
Immaterial really, the old Routemaster’s were built between 1956 and 1986, from a 1947 design, and although like other vehicles those things were so well designed/engined as to be bullet proof, like most of us old farts, they’d seen better days and long past their sell by date. And like all modern ‘stuff’ over old, the new buses no doubt have what my old dad used to say, 'more to go wrong'.
Re Boris/Barclays bikes ….. I doubt since the Model T Ford came about cycling in major cities have been ‘safe’, but to many people in or out of a major recession, whether the oil price stayed up in the $140 a barrel, or the cost of running any engine rocketed whether paying charges in London or not - the bike scheme if not a secret Boris masterplan to alleviate the homes shortage by killing Londoners off, the man clearly meant well – and as far as I know, Boris/London has not made the using of them compulsory.
The bikes are still sponsored by Barclays until some time in 2015 so I doubt if currently costing the taxpayer, but for Ken’s ‘spy in the sky’, I believe it would have required some kind of electronic whirligig in every car as a receiver to get the full ‘benefits’ from it, I wonder how much that would have cost each motorist.
As for Boris or any politician promoting themselves to the media for any GOOD idea, as Del would say, ‘kel surprize Rodney’. Most of them demand airtime to hypocritically blame other politicians for their own SCREW UPS whilst in power.
Re the River Crossing … I have no idea on that other than remembering friends privately investing in a new river shuttle company in the 1980’s and losing most of their money. Would a Labour Major or politician insist a public transport service has to make money to exist, I dunno, but then again I don’t know if taking them off the roads, or trains, gives alternative ‘savings’ to the London commuters misery. And on that note, we follow on to;
Re the Tube Strike …… please correct me if I’m wrong, but London Transport Management (or whoever) are paid to make management decisions, and tube drivers are paid to get millions of commuters each day from point A to B for those fare paying passengers to make a living, go to school, social reasons, shopping etc etc etc. So when ‘the management’ decided to close ticket offices above ground, and those that were inside were more than happy to take a generous redundancy and/or have a job elsewhere, I fail to see why Bob Crow or any other union leader NEEDS to get involved in that decision.
If it is wrong, time will tell, and if the closing of those offices was a bad decision, then ‘the management’ and those supporting them e.g. the incumbent Mayor if still in office, will THEN have to take the hit in the press and any union official giving it a well deserved ‘I/we told you so’.
So as one has to presume that ‘the management’ had thought their decision out using dumb flow charts and numerous studies, what was the POINT of meeting Mr Crow to discuss that decision, especially if ‘meeting up’ and getting around a table’ is union speak for the same thing, the unions demands will be met. Meanwhile during the worst recession is 100-years, all those fare paying commuters had their lives turned upside down, having to stay at home, walk, or pay more e.g. get a taxi.
Mr Livingstone and Mr Crow would have met, cut from the same ideological cloth they might have socialised at the same meetings, so that is why Mr Livingstone would have concentrated on Londoners avoiding pigeon shit, while Boris needed to show no quarter from similar emanating from trade unions, trying to both politically flex their mussels and make the Coalition/Boris look bad, greatly inconveniencing Londoners and blaming others. IMO
FYO so far, all you have done is given me reasons to vote for the geezer. lol