Longer-term delivery of the upgrades
12. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing between the
Government, the Mayor of London and Transport for London as to
the appropriate way to undertake the maintenance and modernisation
of the Underground in the long-term. Although the Secretary of
State told us that long-term management of the work would be the
responsibility primarily of the Mayor of London and Transport
for London, she indicated that the Mayor had agreed to work closely
with the Government to determine the appropriate "vehicle"
to deliver the upgrades in an attempt to secure the best value
for money in the future.[16]
She was "completely open-minded" about the outcome of
those discussions and said that she was "not in the business
of imposing anything on anyone". She said that there was
an argument in principle for asking the private sector "to
deliver in the most innovative manner it can" but acknowledged
that this might not represent the best value-for-money option.[17]
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