It was a glittering occasion. Held in Bloomberg’s office space, I was nervous about being on ‘Transport Question Time’. Steer Davies Gleave

(transport consultants) were having a bit of a bash to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

I am nervous because very high-flying transport expert panel of big-wigs (amongst whom I feel like a little wig) and even worse – an expert audience who will all know more than I do. And to cap it all, it was to be chaired by Jon Snow (Channel 4 news). Good practice though, if I ever get to be on Question Time proper!

Arrived 20 minutes early, so waited in reception. Like a movie set. Totally surreal. Bloombergs clearly have money to burn (perhaps that’s why he’s Mayor of New York). No expense spared on lavish (if tasteless) interiors. Multi-media screens sunk into every orifice – pillars, seats,

desks and free hanging – blaring out the stock market results and corporate messages. I would go insane if I worked in that environment.

Downstairs to reception. Champagne and very up-market canapes flowed. Decide that I will just have one drink before Question Time starts. Sadly, Jon Snow is running late from the 7 o’clock news and so we are almost three-quarters of an hour late getting started – allowing for two more drinks! Dutch courage.

I bumped into Derek Turner – he who introduced Congestion Charging and was ‘sacked’ by the Mayor the following day. The full story has still not come out on that…

The guests pile into the audience seats and so we begin. In reality, the questions were pretty straight forward: on Congestion Charging, the dreadful state of the railways, funding challenges and so on. Steve Norris was not as ‘up’ as usual. David Begg (Commissioner of Integrated

Transport) is always good value and witty. Stephen Joseph of Transport 2000 is intelligent and right-minded. John Steel QC (had never met before) but put up a good show and Brian Souter (rarely seen) was extremely funny.