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Transport for London has retained control over maintenance and upgrades on most of the capital's Underground network, after fending off Whitehall's call for greater private sector involvement. TfL and the Department for Transport have been in negotiations over the future of maintenance contracts since Metronet, the firm previously responsible for upgrading two-thirds of the network, collapsed in 2007, amid spiralling costs. Ministers lobbied for heavy private sector involvement in any new arrangement – to introduce new project management expertise and, partially, to offset some costs. But Lord Adonis, transport secretary, revealed on 29 October that a committee set up to review the future of the Tube lines had recommended that TfL retained overall control over Metronet's former lines, through its subsidiary London Underground Ltd (LUL). His decision was reached following an agreement with London mayor, Boris Johnson. LUL was set up hastily to assume Metronet's responsibilities on an interim basis after the latter collapsed. Three other lines on the network are managed by the Tube Lines group, which has been unaffected by Metronet's demise. ‘The mayor and I have accepted the committee's recommendations that the contracts inherited from Metronet should remain under the direct management of LUL,' Lord Adonis said. However, DfT officials might have influenced Lord Adonis' decision to explore a public-private partnership option for London's Bakerloo line, the only Tube line previously managed by Metronet which still requires significant upgrade. A Whitehall source told The MJ: ‘The department discussed such an option in some depth. The costs of the Bakerloo [line] upgrade are still significant, and the project complex.' To support the new arrangements, and in response to TfL's huge investment programme, Lord Adonis also announced new scrutiny measures for the network. Mr Johnson will establish an independent advisory panel with its remit extending across TfL's investment projects, including all maintenance, renewal, upgrades and major projects across the modes.

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TfL still in the driving seat to oversee Tube maintenance

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