New London Mayor

[Clair]

If it is him, he's well and truly "in" now!!

[Cat]

Eeeek! He's not here in France is he [:-))]  

[Trying]

The new Mayor of London and the new President of France will get on well. As they both have a taste for the liquid stuff.

[5-element]

On the contrary, President Sarkozy is a teetotaller. Drinking doesn't seem to be one of his vices (apart from the one off, well-documented  but controversial "episode").

Mind you, Hitler was vegetarian. So these "virtues" are relative.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Ron Avery"]

Corr I haven’t read so much inaccurate rubbish since the last time I read an Evening Standard on the train cut into strips and hanging on a hook in the toilet.  I don't want to spoil a good yarn with facts Nectarine but you said "They couldn't drive in to London  -  why not vans are not banned from London. 

and suburban train services can be patchy in the evenings and at weekends) not sure what that has to do with van man doesn’t he work in the day? But anyway, perhaps the next time you see your white van man you can tell him the Congestion charge does not actually apply in the evening or at weekends

From TfL site" You do not have to pay the charge on weekends, English public holidays, designated non-charging days, or between 18:00 and 07:00"

 Livingstone did not beat van man around the head, or ban him from central London, he was never going to use the bus or train anyway, he just told him if you want to come into central London and pollute the streets and air, then pay for it or go around London on the M25 or up Park lane.

Too right Betty, Quillan is another one who is short on facts and woefully out of date, if he wasn't he would know that there are as many buses on the road in the Capital now than since the bus strike in 1958, and all put in place before the congestion charge was put in, plus many special school buses on many routes in London, which had  been the situation around the capital for many years.

Of course all those shops have really gone out of business due to the congestion charge, those lines of cars parking outside on yellow lines on their way through London to work  buying their papers and groceries have been forced to go elsewhere, or had use the bus or tube.  Of course the downturn in retail has nothing to do with a drop in retail sales across the whole country and the fact that many of those shops were just uncompetitive and out dated and been priced out of the market by Tesco Metros, far easier to blame the congestion charge, which by the way Boris Johnson has said he will keep. So why did van man want to vote for the Mayor exactly?

Quillan, why people at TfL should lose their jobs just because there is a new Mayor is beyond me, why should they?  What exactly have they done that warrants the sack of generally hard working and conscientious people whose overall policies and finances were dictated by City Hall?

 It was not so long ago that a certain candidate to be Mayor told everybody that the Directors of London Underground were totally incompetent and he would sack them all if he became Mayor, well he did and he didn’t, only two left, both for better positions, perhaps they were doing a good job after all.

[/quote]

White van man is a generic term as you well know and is usually used to refer to vans that are privately owned but working for courier services. I think what was really meant was things like vans used by builders, plumbers, electricians etc where the cost of entering London has to be added to the price which effectively overprices them in comparison to those who live inside the congestion charge area who receive a 90% discount which as you know is on the TFL website.

With regards to School buses, there are no dedicated school buses other than those operated by private schools. There are however extra bus's laid on during certain times which are called school bus's but can actually be used for anyone "These normally provide morning journeys in the direction shown, with return journeys in the afternoon, during school term only. Although available to all passengers, timetables are designed in accordance with school requirements and services are liable to alteration or cancellation on an ad hoc basis.” The main idea behind them is to help others that use bus's to get to work because people have complained about buses rammed with kids being noisy etc and they can't get on because there is no space. What I am talking about is bus's that are used purely to take kids to school and go no further than the school. It is clear that some extra  There are currently 64  such extra bus's run by FL and a further 59 run privately (might be out by one or two as I had to actually count them).

I should rather hope that there are more bus's being run since 1958 in London since it has increased in size quite a bit since then.

As for getting rid of the congestion charge you are probably right, they have not even paid for it yet and the money has to come from somewhere. I believe that was the reason given recently when Ken was asked why the money does not go towards increasing and improving the public transport system.

As to cars parked outside shops in bus lanes and/or on yellow lines I think you are a little over exaggerating because on all my visits to London (the last and 3rd this year was a few weeks back) I saw very few. Also, people go to Tesco, Morrisons etc because their is free parking, or more to the point parking (I am talking about Chalk Farm and Camden).

[Will]

At least Boris is properly trained and experienced in the use of apostrophes in English grammar [;-)].

[Quillan]

[quote user="Will"]At least Boris is properly trained and experienced in the use of apostrophes in English grammar [;-)].[/quote]

Meaning what exactly [:D] ?

[Kitty]

I think that he means you should type buses rather bus's.

 

[Quillan]

No useful input then, just a dig, nothing changes.

[tegwini]

Will might also have mentioned   your   & you're = you are (word contraction) in Quillian's post. 

Very frustrating to see this. 

tegwini 

 

[Iceni]

[quote user="Will"]At least Boris is properly trained and experienced in the use of apostrophes in English grammar [;-)].[/quote]

But I thought B is an old boy of that comprehensive near Windsor ?

John

[Hoddy]

I didn't think that being able to write properly, or even at all, was a qualification for the job of mayor.

Is he a good administrator with clear ideas of what he wants to do ?

 

Hoddy 

[Quillan]

[quote user="tegwini"]

Will might also have mentioned   your   & you're = you are (word contraction) in Quillian's post. 

Very frustrating to see this. 

tegwini 

[/quote]

I always wonder why people like you contribute nothing to a thread except to point out somebody has made some type of error, life must be very boring for you. When I need you to correct my posts I will ask so until then leave me alone. Thank you.

[geoff]

[quote user="Quillan"][quote user="tegwini"]

Will might also have mentioned   your   & you're = you are (word contraction) in Quillian's post. 

Very frustrating to see this. 

tegwini 

[/quote]

I always wonder why people like you contribute nothing to a thread except to point out somebody has made some type of error, life must be very boring for you. When I need you to correct my posts I will ask so until then leave me alone. Thank you.

[/quote]

I would second that,

well said

[tegwini]

So sorry Quillian

But the teacher in me couldn't see that & not correct it.   Children in yr 3 learn the difference between your & you're.   And, I didn't correct the other errors.

Just trying to help!

tegwini

 

[Quillan]

[quote user="tegwini"]

So sorry Quillian

But the teacher in me couldn't see that & not correct it.   Children in yr 3 learn the difference between your & you're.   And, I didn't correct the other errors.

Just trying to help!

tegwini

[/quote]

No your not your just being sarcastic which is plain for anyone to see. If you have nothing to add to this thread which is 'on topic' then it's better you don't post. Personally I won't bother to answer anymore of your rude and sarcastic comments because we will only drift further off topic. I'm sure you will have the last word though [;-)] .

[Russethouse]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/boris_johnson/1930035/Boris-Johnson-joined-by-black-school-chief-in-crime-fight.html

Boris's first appointment seems to have received a good reception. I wonder what else he might do ?

 

Don't worry Q, a local company has : "Local, National and Internal deliveries" signwritten on their glass window [:)]

[Quillan]

It is interesting about people leaving (including TFL staff), I wonder if its a case of jumping before being pushed in some cases. A very good start I think appointing  Ray Lewis, a much respected man in his field although I think it's slightly naive to think he will sort out all the youth problems. I am sure he will have some impact and will be good for London in general.

I think it will take at least 6 months before anything startling happens as new people come in and get up to speed. Then I guess it will be a further 6 months before any serious changes start to happen. I rather hope Borris is successful if only to put his critics in their place. We will see.

[Ron Avery]

Dave Wetzel was a TfL Board Member, appointed by Livingstone. 

TfL staff, who work on the trains and the management of river services, taxis,  dial a ride,  buses and the streets are appointed and /or promoted by TfL through a normal and fair appointment process in which the Mayor has no say.  I expect other Board members to leave as Boris brings in his own people.  Some will see Wetzel as being a loss to TfL and London as he was a strong campaigner for staff and customer safety.

[tegwini]

'No your not your just being sarcastic '   Quillian (can't as yet use the quotation device).

 

Should read  No you're not, you're just being sarcastic...  or   No you are not, you are just being sarcastic ...

apologies again!

tegwini

[Russethouse]

You know tegwini, if you want to start a thread about the use of English, feel free, otherwise I think we would all be better off if we stick to the topic.

[Dick Smith]

...[;-)]

[tegwini]

thanks RH - I will

regards

tegwini

[Quillan]

[quote user="tegwini"]

'No your not your just being sarcastic '   Quillian (can't as yet use the quotation device).

Should read  No you're not, you're just being sarcastic...  or   No you are not, you are just being sarcastic ...

apologies again!

tegwini

[/quote]

I wouldn't normally correct people in an open forum on such a petty issue, it's just not good manners neither is it polite. I would have been discreet and done it by PM so as not to be seen scoring points, but seeing as you started.......... Perhaps you could check yours, every post you make has PEHAPS instead of PERHAPS at the bottom. I don't know, teachers, don't you just love em [;-)]

Forgot to say, sorry just being helpful [:D]

[nectarine]

Just trying to move this thread back to the topic in hand ...

I mentioned the comments from various Surrey voters who expressed disappointment that they didn't have the opportunity to vote in the London Mayoral elections.  I appreciate not everyone thinks that "Surrey van drivers" should influence the vote but it is daft to think that the Mayor's decisions don't directly influence those just outside of central London.  Congestion charge for a start ... those inside the zone get a substantial discount but those outside, including those from Surrey, etc., who need to bring tools, equipment, etc., into London have to pay this and end up passing the charge onto their customers, thereby making them more expensive and not as competitive with quotes, etc.

Our rates contain a surcharge to the Mayor of London, yet we don't have a vote on it!!  That does seem unfair (taxation without representation, and all that).  And with regard to transport - sure, if you live in central London then it is easy to get around but if you are a commuter from teh suburbs then the Mayor's transport policies do affect you, but you don't have a vote.

And I have a bone to pick with Ken Livingstone.  While he was banging on about congestion, reducing traffic etc., and generally making the car London's worst enemy, my husband saw him sitting in the back of a huge limousine in central London.  A case of "do as I say, not as I do"?

Anyway, thank goodness for Boris.  Not necessarily for what he is going to do, but as an alternative to Red Ken and his cronies.

Now, has that brought us back to the subject in hand (and no more talk of grammatical errors, please !!!)