Boris Watch

Transit magazine is an industry journal dealing with, er, the transport industry.  It previously came up during the elections in May as pouring cold water on Boris Johnson’s Son-of-Routemaster idea, and now they’ve got some interesing quotes about Tim Parker leaving TfL:

Sources with strong Conservative Party connections told Transit that it would now be more difficult for swinging changes to be made at TfL or for any decisions on restructuring the organisation to be taken rapidly. One said there had been indications that Parker would want job cuts of up to 30% at TfL, which has 20,000 staff.

Cripes!  No wonder Milton wanted the brakes put on.  Still, everyone said when he was appointed that he was a slash-and-burn at all costs merchant who was seriously bad news, and so it has turned out.  The assumption that he was ousted before he did any serious damage to Tory election prospects looks more solid by the day.

Last laugh goes to an old Tory hate figure:

Parker’s diminished role also appears to have reduced the possibility of transport commissioner Peter Hendy being replaced, according to seasoned political observers. “The real winner out of this is Hendy who is probably indispensable now,” Transit was told.

TfL, despite having Boris as chairman to look forward to, look to be weathering the storm so far.  Let’s hope his famous ability to weathercock his opinions in the direction of whoever he’s talking to at the time gets a good airing in his new role.  Anything that keeps him out of the orbit of Anthony Browne has to be a good thing.

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