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• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Thank you. Clearly, work is being done, but I read in the Paralympic Games bid document that the catchment area for the Paralympics is 30 million people across much of southern England within a day trip of the Games. Therefore, what is going to be done about helping people with any kind of disability across that catchment area, particularly if they rely on mainline rail services? What plans are in place for that situation?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Will you set them objectives or targets?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Thank you. On getting into London itself and the fact that it is going to be a very broad-based Games, we know that we have real problems in access for people with disabilities to our public buildings. Indeed, a recent statement in Disability Capital states that only 17% of public buildings in London are accessible. What plans are in place for involving disabled people in the cultural Olympiad?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Turning to the bus service, which you state will be fully compliant by 2006; I think you said early 2006 but are the ramps actually working? In fact, my evidence is that in many cases it is not possible for people with a wheelchair to access a bus on a low floor through a ramp, because the ramp is inoperable. Are there any efforts by TfL to get on top of this, such as using a secret-shopper approach?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Does that mean, if that had to happen, that something would be done about implementing the Thameslink box effectively, so that access to the cross-channel shuttle at King's Cross can be properly integrated, rather than a very difficult, 500-metre walk across King's Cross?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Mr Mayor, you say we have seven years, but if I look at the North London Line for the last seven or more years, in fact, it has become worse, rather than better. I am very interested to know what plans there are for upgrading the North London Line, which potentially could be an important link from southwest London and also places like Camden and Islington, a direct link to Stratford. What can be achieved?

• Reference: 2005/0313-1
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

The principal, major transport improvements expected before 2012 include: the completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link to St Pancras; north and south extensions and upgrades to the East London Line; longer trains, and extensions to the Docklands Light Railway; significant improvements to the transport hubs at Kings Cross/St Pancras and Stratford and the building of the West London tram. The successful bid also means that capacity on the North London Line will be greatly improved. Can you confirm that all these things will occur before 2012?

• Reference: 2005/0314-1
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Tessa Jowell has conceded that the security bill is likely to increase. Who will pay for it?

• Reference: 2005/0316-1
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

The Big Lottery Fund, which distributes lottery money, has predicted that grants to causes such as health, education, environmental and volunteer programmes could be reduced by £68m over the next four years, as lottery players switch to the heavily marketed Olympic-themed game. Could this Olympic lottery simply divert monies from other causes - including local sporting developments of which much is made in current lottery propaganda?

• Reference: 2005/0317-1
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Building Design was obliged to obtain information about project funding under Freedom of Information legislation. We too are obliged to resort to FoI on the Olympic opinion polling. We are still chasing the information which was denied to us on grounds that giving it to us would affect public perception of opinion polling. Appreciating that the London Assembly has no role in the Olympic Games and is not even mentioned in the London Olympics Bill, can the Mayor explain who is to have the job of even the most rudeimentary form of scrutiny, looking after London's interests and avoiding the...