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Money row 'risks plans for Tube' Money row 'risks plans for Tube'
(about 10 hours later)
Tube trains could become more crowded and improvements on London Underground scrapped unless a "funding crisis" is resolved, the London Assembly has said.Tube trains could become more crowded and improvements on London Underground scrapped unless a "funding crisis" is resolved, the London Assembly has said.
Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground maintenance firm Tube Lines disagree on the cost of upgrade work.Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground maintenance firm Tube Lines disagree on the cost of upgrade work.
Plans to tackle congestion and improve access to stations are being put at risk due to the disagreement, an assembly report found. Plans to tackle congestion and improve access to stations are being put at risk due to the disagreement, the London Assembly (LA) report found.
London Underground said it tried to make the work affordable. London Underground (LU) said it tried to make the work affordable.
Plans delayed
Last year LU estimated it would cost £4.1bn to carry out improvements on the Tube between 2010 and 2017 but Tube Lines set its price at £7.2bn.Last year LU estimated it would cost £4.1bn to carry out improvements on the Tube between 2010 and 2017 but Tube Lines set its price at £7.2bn.
The London Assembly (LA) report said this discrepancy has slowed progress on a number of projects and put pressure on TfL's budget. Plans delayed
The LA report said this discrepancy has slowed progress on a number of projects and put pressure on TfL's budget.
The situation was exacerbated by the collapse of maintenance firm Metronet, which went into administration in 2007 while carrying out station refurbishments.The situation was exacerbated by the collapse of maintenance firm Metronet, which went into administration in 2007 while carrying out station refurbishments.
TfL is now completing Metronet's projects but around half its 150 refurbishment plans that were due to be completed by 2010 have been delayed until as late as 2017.TfL is now completing Metronet's projects but around half its 150 refurbishment plans that were due to be completed by 2010 have been delayed until as late as 2017.
Any delayed or cancelled projects will have a real impact on people using the network Val Shawcross, London Assembly The LA called for TfL to revise its plans to take into account the increasing cost of upgrade works and called for it be more open and accountable about progress made.
The London Assembly called for TfL to revise its plans to take into account the increasing cost of upgrade works. Maintaining and upgrading the Tube is absolutely vital to the capital LA transport committee chairwoman Val Shawcross
It also asked TfL and London Underground (LU) to be more open and accountable about progress made. LA transport committee chairwoman Val Shawcross said: "Maintaining and upgrading the Tube is absolutely vital to the capital and Londoners have a right to know how it is progressing."
LA transport committee chairman Val Shawcross said: "Maintaining and upgrading the Tube is absolutely vital to the capital and Londoners have a right to know how it is progressing." Welcoming the report, LU managing director Tim O'Toole said: "LU has issued restated contract terms to Tube Lines for the second period of public private partnership (PPP) maintenance and renewal works.
LU managing director Tim O'Toole said it had resubmitted its contract terms to Tube Lines, which has until June to respond. Tube Lines was unavailable to comment. "We have made every effort to make the works as affordable as possible. Tube Lines now has until the end of June 2009 to respond."
Tube Lines was unavailable for comment.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We have already agreed a generous long-term settlement with TfL, providing more than £40bn for London transport over the next 10 years.A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We have already agreed a generous long-term settlement with TfL, providing more than £40bn for London transport over the next 10 years.
"It is now for TfL to manage this to deliver the high quality transport its users expect.""It is now for TfL to manage this to deliver the high quality transport its users expect."