Lynne Featherstone

Very bizarre experience. I had a meeting arranged with a woman who had emailed me. She had discovered, she said, the solution to all the problems of London's buses. She had been unable to get through to the Mayor or Peter Hendy (Director of Surface Transport, Transport for London) – so asked if I would see her and perhaps support her ideas.

I get a fair number of contacts from people who say they have a great transport idea which they can’t get people interested in. I try to see people whenever possible - but they usually give me an idea of their idea - so to speak. She wouldn't. It was a secret.

She had said that she was wary of telling anyone her idea in case they 'stole' it and she wanted to own the commercial rights to her idea. In the end I agreed to a meeting and she came into City Hall to my office.

When we met, the first thing she said was that she had brought along a 'non-disclosure agreement' for me to sign. Whilst I am perfectly happy to keep a confidence if someone in that situation wants to be assured that I won't pass on an idea - I certainly don't believe in elected politicians signing anything that might prevent openness and accountability.

She said that she couldn't tell me her idea without my signing this document. I said that I was sorry that it would seem, therefore, to be a wasted journey on her part. I had been quite clear about this before the meeting was arranged.

It was all quite pleasant and well-behaved - but certainly bizarre. I explained to her that she really did need to see Peter Hendy or Livingstone if she wanted to 'sell' her idea to them and wished her well.

Of course, I am still curious about what the idea is!