Decision day for Tube funding

MINISTERS have pencilled in 20 March as 'D' for decision day for announcing whether they will part-privatise London Underground. If they back PPP they will cast aside the opinion of Mayor Ken Livingstone, the majority of Londoners and a whole host of transport experts.

A Government announcement is expected to come shortly after a meeting of the board of directors of London Transport, parent company of the Tube. The lengthy final round of the decision-making process will begin on 7 February.

Transport Secretary Stephen Byers has said that PPP will go ahead only if it passes both value-for-money - when compared with public-sector funded alternatives - and safety criteria.