GLC wants larger Government grant
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• Mr Graham Page, Minister for Local Government and Development, has seen an all-party deputation from the Greater London Council, led by Mr Horace Cutler, chairman of the Council's policy and resources committee.
They pressed their case for more Government grant aid for improving London's public transport, expressing particular disappointment at the refusal of infrastructure grant for the Heathrow Link project. They asked for a grant towards the cost of the proposed Fleet Line tube, and argued that public transport should have parity of treatment with roads in grants.
The Minister said he could not accept
that grants for public transport could be put on the same basis as for principal roads, since transport could be Financed in part from fares which was not possible with roads. Nor did he hold out any hope that the Government would change its mind and pay grant on the Heathrow Link. He undertook to convey the deputation's argument for grant for the Fleet Line to the Secretary of State so that he would have them in mind when making his decision; and promised that the Government would take into account the views expressed by the GLC on the defects of the present grant system: and suggested that his officials should examine the problems further with GLC officers.