It represents just a tenth of that price tag of Crossrail, yet will improve the economic prospects of huge swathes of the UK.
Assembly members, council leaders, and MPs have noted the strength of feeling in their inboxes and on the doorstep. The issue stands out amidst a general climate of apathy.
The next Mayor has to stop running cap-in-hand to Government for transport funding. The only way to escape is to cut costs at Transport for London and find new sources of income.
We also need to be a safer city. It is a scandal that London’s roads are the least safe of any major European city, with Transport for London buses involved in 24,000 collisions each year.
Rename the whole project to reflect its truly unifying nature and let more of Britain, Scotland and Northern England be connected by the “steel threads”.
The Conservative platform must promise the core Conservative voter a return to competent government, and promise the progressive voter, strategic future-looking policy innovation.
In Liverpool or Slough the commissioners are sent in. Why does Khan get a special dispensation for financial bailouts, and to carry on as he pleases?
Commentators focus their attention on the Red or Blue walls, but the Conservatives shouldn’t turn their backs on the green bridge of voters in both camps, especially when we have a strong record on climate and the environment.
Rather than a gimmicky new layer of Government it would have been better to adopt a more localist approach of handing powers to existing local authorities.
These changes would be resisted by the trade unions – understandably as it would render them pretty irrelevant. But their members would be empowered.
Hammersmith Bridge has now been shut to cars for three and a half years. While money goes on gold-plated pensions, trade union facility time, and TfL’s nominee passes perk.
There is not long to go until the next election and much to do, but there are real wins to be found in the legislative programme.
The second part of a mini-series on ConservativeHome this week about how the Government can help Britain’s economy to grow faster.
Anyone who has spent time in the Netherlands can hardly fail to see the benefits of more cycling; wider pavements and a merciful absence of cars. But the motive should not be to punish drivers and avoid the need to find savings.
Basic services – the NHS, policing, schools, road maintenance, refuse collection, you name it – have gone to rack and ruin. Life expectancy has fallen sharply. We still have, to our shame, by far the worst drug death levels in Europe.