£30 billion tube upgrade may face cutbacks

London Mayor , Boris Johnson, could be forced into cutting funding to the proposed £30billion London Underground improvement ­programme after the regulator threatened to intervene in a funding row.

The public-private partnership (PPP) arbiter, Chris Bolt,threatened to intervene in a funding row between Transport for London and contractor Tube Lines over the cost of the 2010-2017 maintenance programme.TfL believes the work can be done for £4.1billion, while Tube Lines argues it will need up to £7.2billionn.

Bolt, in an interview with The Guardian, said "My ­initial reference highlighted a gap between what London Underground thought the cost should be and both Tube Lines's and my view of what it should be, if that gap remains there are two options: one is more money and the other is 'de-scoping'. One of the duties I have in the Railway Act is to give London Underground the opportunity to review its requirements such as what it is asking Tube Lines to deliver in terms of performance, upgrades, asset condition and station improvements."

Tube Lines is scheduled to provide a new cost estimate for the 2010-17 ­programme to TfL by 30 June.