From eWatford Observer 10/07/08

Rail link cost spirals


5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008

The cost of the Croxley Rail Link has soared to almost £150m after
years of government indecision and battles against red tape.

However, the on-again off-again saga appears back on track after the
scheme was this week backed to receive a £120m investment.

The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.

Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
£150m, if completed by 2014.

The rail scheme will, however, only be given the go-ahead if £119.5m
is invested by the Department for Transport (DfT).

This week, the project received a huge boost after it was backed by a
transport panel at the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on
Tuesday.

The regional assembly has rated the scheme as a “priority” in its list
of transport policies.

Furthermore, it has now recommended the government contributes the
£119.5m towards the costs.

Hertfordshire County Council has already guaranteed the remaining
£25.8m for the rail link.

The news means that after years of battling through red tape and
against several public departments at once the rail link’s business
case will again be sent to the Department for Transport, where the
project will be decided.

Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said the process was now about
getting “all our ducks lined up in a row”.

She said: “What this means is the East of England Regional Assembly
sees this as an important project.

“If it didn't say that then central government would not take it
seriously.

“It is a small milestone and we just welcome every little milestone
that gets us nearer.”

She added she has written to Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to get
Transport for London to back the scheme.

........................................................

........................................................

John Burke

WRUG

On Jul 10, 2:51 pm, johnnyburk...@googlemail.com wrote:
> From eWatford Observer 10/07/08
>
> Rail link cost spirals
>
> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
>
> The cost of the Croxley Rail Link has soared to almost £150m after
> years of government indecision and battles against red tape.
>
> However, the on-again off-again saga appears back on track after the
> scheme was this week backed to receive a £120m investment.
>
> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
>
> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
> £150m, if completed by 2014.
>
> The rail scheme will, however, only be given the go-ahead if £119.5m
> is invested by the Department for Transport (DfT).
>
> This week, the project received a huge boost after it was backed by a
> transport panel at the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on
> Tuesday.
>
> The regional assembly has rated the scheme as a “priority” in its list
> of transport policies.
>
> Furthermore, it has now recommended the government contributes the
> £119.5m towards the costs.
>
> Hertfordshire County Council has already guaranteed the remaining
> £25.8m for the rail link.
>
> The news means that after years of battling through red tape and
> against several public departments at once the rail link’s business
> case will again be sent to the Department for Transport, where the
> project will be decided.
>
> Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said the process was now about
> getting “all our ducks lined up in a row”.
>
> She said: “What this means is the East of England Regional Assembly
> sees this as an important project.
>
> “If it didn't say that then central government would not take it
> seriously.
>
> “It is a small milestone and we just welcome every little milestone
> that gets us nearer.”
>
> She added she has written to Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to get
> Transport for London to back the scheme.
>
> ........................................................
>
Well, I suppose, that is sort of good news!

johnnyburke02@googlemail.com wrote:

> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
>
> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
> 
> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
> £150m, if completed by 2014.

One has to suspect the accuracy of the rest of the reporting, when it is
clear that the journalist can't successfully subtract 2006 from 2008.

-- 
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p9632903.html
(D7018 (Class 35) at Tyseley, 4 Oct 1987)

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:55:28 -0700 (PDT), 1506
 wrote:

>On Jul 10, 2:51 pm, johnnyburk...@googlemail.com wrote:
>> From eWatford Observer 10/07/08
>>
>> Rail link cost spirals
>>
>> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
>>
>> The cost of the Croxley Rail Link has soared to almost £150m after
>> years of government indecision and battles against red tape.
>>
>> However, the on-again off-again saga appears back on track after the
>> scheme was this week backed to receive a £120m investment.
>>
>> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
>> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
>>
>> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
>> £150m, if completed by 2014.
>>
>> The rail scheme will, however, only be given the go-ahead if £119.5m
>> is invested by the Department for Transport (DfT).
>>
>> This week, the project received a huge boost after it was backed by a
>> transport panel at the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on
>> Tuesday.
>>
>> The regional assembly has rated the scheme as a “priority” in its list
>> of transport policies.
>>
>> Furthermore, it has now recommended the government contributes the
>> £119.5m towards the costs.
>>
>> Hertfordshire County Council has already guaranteed the remaining
>> £25.8m for the rail link.
>>
>> The news means that after years of battling through red tape and
>> against several public departments at once the rail link’s business
>> case will again be sent to the Department for Transport, where the
>> project will be decided.
>>
>> Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said the process was now about
>> getting “all our ducks lined up in a row”.
>>
>> She said: “What this means is the East of England Regional Assembly
>> sees this as an important project.
>>
>> “If it didn't say that then central government would not take it
>> seriously.
>>
>> “It is a small milestone and we just welcome every little milestone
>> that gets us nearer.”
>>
>> She added she has written to Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to get
>> Transport for London to back the scheme.
>>
>> ........................................................
>>
>Well, I suppose, that is sort of good news!
>
That might depend on whether or not Boris notices which side of the
county boundary Watford is on.

In message 
          Charles Ellson  wrote:

> On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:55:28 -0700 (PDT), 1506
>  wrote:

>>On Jul 10, 2:51 pm, johnnyburk...@googlemail.com wrote:
>>> From eWatford Observer 10/07/08
>>>
>>> Rail link cost spirals
>>>
>>> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
>>>
>>> The cost of the Croxley Rail Link has soared to almost £150m after
>>> years of government indecision and battles against red tape.
>>>
>>> However, the on-again off-again saga appears back on track after the
>>> scheme was this week backed to receive a £120m investment.
>>>
>>> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
>>> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
>>>
>>> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
>>> £150m, if completed by 2014.
>>>
>>> The rail scheme will, however, only be given the go-ahead if £119.5m
>>> is invested by the Department for Transport (DfT).
>>>
>>> This week, the project received a huge boost after it was backed by a
>>> transport panel at the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on
>>> Tuesday.
>>>
>>> The regional assembly has rated the scheme as a ”priority• in its list
>>> of transport policies.
>>>
>>> Furthermore, it has now recommended the government contributes the
>>> £119.5m towards the costs.
>>>
>>> Hertfordshire County Council has already guaranteed the remaining
>>> £25.8m for the rail link.
>>>
>>> The news means that after years of battling through red tape and
>>> against several public departments at once the rail link‘s business
>>> case will again be sent to the Department for Transport, where the
>>> project will be decided.
>>>
>>> Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said the process was now about
>>> getting ”all our ducks lined up in a row•.
>>>
>>> She said: ”What this means is the East of England Regional Assembly
>>> sees this as an important project.
>>>
>>> ”If it didn't say that then central government would not take it
>>> seriously.
>>>
>>> ”It is a small milestone and we just welcome every little milestone
>>> that gets us nearer.•
>>>
>>> She added she has written to Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to get
>>> Transport for London to back the scheme.
>>>
>>> ........................................................
>>>
>>Well, I suppose, that is sort of good news!
>>
> That might depend on whether or not Boris notices which side of the
> county boundary Watford is on.

All this for so small a job! No wonder nothing bigger ever gets done!

Michael Bell


--

Charles Ellson wrote:
> On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:55:28 -0700 (PDT), 1506
>  wrote:
> 
>> On Jul 10, 2:51 pm, johnnyburk...@googlemail.com wrote:
>>> From eWatford Observer 10/07/08
>>>
>>> Rail link cost spirals
>>>
>>> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
>>>
>>> The cost of the Croxley Rail Link has soared to almost £150m after
>>> years of government indecision and battles against red tape.
>>>
>>> However, the on-again off-again saga appears back on track after the
>>> scheme was this week backed to receive a £120m investment.
>>>
>>> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
>>> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
>>>
>>> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
>>> £150m, if completed by 2014.
>>>
>>> The rail scheme will, however, only be given the go-ahead if £119.5m
>>> is invested by the Department for Transport (DfT).
>>>
>>> This week, the project received a huge boost after it was backed by a
>>> transport panel at the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on
>>> Tuesday.
>>>
>>> The regional assembly has rated the scheme as a “priority” in its list
>>> of transport policies.
>>>
>>> Furthermore, it has now recommended the government contributes the
>>> £119.5m towards the costs.
>>>
>>> Hertfordshire County Council has already guaranteed the remaining
>>> £25.8m for the rail link.
>>>
>>> The news means that after years of battling through red tape and
>>> against several public departments at once the rail link’s business
>>> case will again be sent to the Department for Transport, where the
>>> project will be decided.
>>>
>>> Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said the process was now about
>>> getting “all our ducks lined up in a row”.
>>>
>>> She said: “What this means is the East of England Regional Assembly
>>> sees this as an important project.
>>>
>>> “If it didn't say that then central government would not take it
>>> seriously.
>>>
>>> “It is a small milestone and we just welcome every little milestone
>>> that gets us nearer.”
>>>
>>> She added she has written to Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to get
>>> Transport for London to back the scheme.
>>>
>>> ........................................................
>>>
>> Well, I suppose, that is sort of good news!
>>
> That might depend on whether or not Boris notices which side of the
> county boundary Watford is on.

As a fairly well travelled native of the town, I find that most people 
think that the boundary is somewhere around Coventry.

-- 
Corporate society looks after everything.  All it asks of anyone, all it 
has ever asked of anyone, is that they do not interfere with management 
decisions.  -From “Rollerball”

"Chris Tolley"  wrote in message 
news:1ju3xnvvlzcqt.afemkxb1ytbo$.dlg@40tude.net...
> johnnyburke02@googlemail.com wrote:
>
>> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
>>
>> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
>> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
>>
>> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
>> £150m, if completed by 2014.
>
> One has to suspect the accuracy of the rest of the reporting, when it is
> clear that the journalist can't successfully subtract 2006 from 2008.
>

So in summary, the cost for the project was thought to be ridiculous, so 
they have doubled it to make it more realistic?

What sort of 'backing' are TfL supposed to be giving anyway, the DfT seem to 
be 'investing' the vast majority...

Paul S

On Jul 11, 11:00 am, "Paul Scott" 
wrote:
> What sort of 'backing' are TfL supposed to be giving anyway, the DfT seem to
> be 'investing' the vast majority...

IIRC TfL were putting in a few million to the project because of the
opportunities it provides for people living in Harrow and Brent to get
to work in Watford and vice versa.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org

Erm, with all these unemployed builders being laid off left right and
centre, isn't it going to be much cheaper to do this sort of stuff in
the future?

wrote in message 
news:022ea5f1-01cc-4516-a2eb-75bdc1513fa9@m3g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
> Erm, with all these unemployed builders being laid off left right and
> centre, isn't it going to be much cheaper to do this sort of stuff in
> the future?

I was thinking much the same thing

tim

No becasue the bulk of the costs these days isnt buildi8ng the thing its all 
the reports and paperwork and planning for potential disruption that has to 
be gone through first.

In the current way of doing things a couple of objectors with the right 
lawyers on board can quite easily make costs spiral out of control until the 
project their against is beyond reach.

commingle@onetel.com wrote:
> Erm, with all these unemployed builders being laid off left right and
> centre, isn't it going to be much cheaper to do this sort of stuff in
> the future?

If we declare war on Poland, we could use the Poles as free labour like on 
the River Kwai!

Michael Bell  wrote:
> In message 
>           Charles Ellson  wrote:
> 
> > On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:55:28 -0700 (PDT), 1506
> >  wrote:
> 
> >>On Jul 10, 2:51 pm, johnnyburk...@googlemail.com wrote:
> >>> From eWatford Observer 10/07/08
> >>>
> >>> Rail link cost spirals
> >>>
> >>> 5:10pm Thursday 10th July 2008
> >>>
> >>> The cost of the Croxley Rail Link has soared to almost £150m after
> >>> years of government indecision and battles against red tape.
> >>>
> >>> However, the on-again off-again saga appears back on track after the
> >>> scheme was this week backed to receive a £120m investment.
> >>>
> >>> The rail link, which will extend the Metropolitan Line into Watford
> >>> Junction, was priced at £66m in 2006.
> >>>
> >>> Just one year later, the scheme is now estimated to cost close to
> >>> £150m, if completed by 2014.
> >>>
> >>> The rail scheme will, however, only be given the go-ahead if £119.5m
> >>> is invested by the Department for Transport (DfT).
> >>>
> >>> This week, the project received a huge boost after it was backed by a
> >>> transport panel at the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on
> >>> Tuesday.
> >>>
> >>> The regional assembly has rated the scheme as a ”priority• in its list
> >>> of transport policies.
> >>>
> >>> Furthermore, it has now recommended the government contributes the
> >>> £119.5m towards the costs.
> >>>
> >>> Hertfordshire County Council has already guaranteed the remaining
> >>> £25.8m for the rail link.
> >>>
> >>> The news means that after years of battling through red tape and
> >>> against several public departments at once the rail link‘s business
> >>> case will again be sent to the Department for Transport, where the
> >>> project will be decided.
> >>>
> >>> Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said the process was now about
> >>> getting ”all our ducks lined up in a row•.
> >>>
> >>> She said: ”What this means is the East of England Regional Assembly
> >>> sees this as an important project.
> >>>
> >>> ”If it didn't say that then central government would not take it
> >>> seriously.
> >>>
> >>> ”It is a small milestone and we just welcome every little milestone
> >>> that gets us nearer.•
> >>>
> >>> She added she has written to Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to get
> >>> Transport for London to back the scheme.
> >>>
> >>> ........................................................
> >>>
> >>Well, I suppose, that is sort of good news!
> >>
> > That might depend on whether or not Boris notices which side of the
> > county boundary Watford is on.
> 
> All this for so small a job! No wonder nothing bigger ever gets done!
> 
> Michael Bell

The Eastern Regional Assembly also wants the last single-carriageway section of
the A11 in Norfolk to be dualled.  This would cost a lot less, and provide
greater benefits than an extra railway line in area already over-provided with
railways.

> If we declare war on Poland, we could use the Poles as free labour like on
> the River Kwai!

From Transport Briefing Website

Croxley Rail Link promoter gains regional sponsor

Filed 23/07/08

The Croxley Rail Link project has inched a step forward after scheme
promoter Hertfordshire County Council signed up the East of England
Regional Planning Panel to support the scheme.

Gaining support at a regional level is seen as essential if funding
for the project is to be forthcoming. The East of England Regional
Planning Panel can specify its transport priorities to the Department
for Transport and the inclusion of the Croxley rail scheme would allow
the £119.5m needing for the project to be channelled from government
through the region's transport funding allocation.

Meanwhile, the county council has revealed details of how it intends
to fund the remainder of what is now a £145.3m project. £18.05m of
capital will be raised by the county council, secured on the strength
of a guaranteed capital contribution and guaranteed revenue stream
from London Underground over 25 years. A further £3.44m of capital
contributions will come from the county council and through Section
106 development funding. In addition, £4.31m of further capital
contribution will be underwritten by the authority.

A benefit of the new funding package is that London Underground has
agreed to recycle surplus fare revenue back into other projects. This
revenue could be between £1m and £3m a year and worth up to £58m over
25 years.

“Gaining regional backing is a significant step forward for the rail
link, because the bid could not progress without their support,” said
County Councillor Stuart Pile, Herts County Council's executive member
for highways, transport and rural affairs. "This is good news for
everyone in Watford - the proposed rail link will have a major impact
on relieving congestion, as well as improving transport links between
London and Watford town centre."

“Our innovative and partnership-based approach to the funding package
offers the project the best chance of advancing," added Cllr Pile,
"and the county council's contribution within this demonstrates how
committed we are to this scheme. I look forward to seeing it come to
fruition."

The county council is currently seeking Programme Entry status for the
project from the DfT. This is required before the scheme can be
progressed through the Transport and Works Act process, where
Hertfordshire County Council and London Underground will seek formal
powers to construct the scheme.

Dorothy Thornhill, elected Mayor of Watford said: "I'm delighted that
the scheme has now got regional approval. We have been campaigning for
the Croxley Rail-Link for a number of years and it should help
alleviate traffic congestion by taking 300,000 car journeys from the
road network. Clearly, the green light for the Health Campus project
makes the rail link more viable. The link will open up the transport
systems for residents living in Watford and the wider area."

The Croxley Rail Link project would create a connection between the
London Underground Metropolitan line and Watford Junction station on
the West Coast Main Line by reinstating part of the mothballed Croxley
Green branch line. Two new Underground stations would be built at
Ascot Road and Watford West. More than 11,000 households are within
800m of stations on the proposed line and around 30% of them do not
own a car.
..........................................................
..........................................................

John Burke
Watford Rail Users Group