Any delay has been due to lack of funding from national govt - in the same way as they have and starved the Metro of needed funds for expansion -and the "guidance" against allocating fnds has come from the Treasury.
Now the Whitehall moguls are faced with a problem. The charging scheme can't go ahead without prior improvement in alternative methods of transport to the car being in place. That means national govt money which, if we are facing a major recession, they may not have. Yet their political masters want to see such schemes in place.
The pro charging lobby, pushing all the "green" buttons, know that to get the support they need they have to offer real benefits in time and cost savings for all commuters - on public transport and in cars - and the journey has to be in clean, comfortable surroundings. That means new vehicles and infrastructure and all before a penny comes in from the daily charge. In many ways they have Whitehall over a barrel.
Pushing schemes such as the guided busways and Metro expansion will attract more support to the pro lobby, especially with ever rising petrol prices, so a "yes" in any referendum, or just a groundswell of "pro" feeling means Whitehall has to deliver.
If it does deliver then it will cost the Treasury far more than the schemes would have when originally mooted and planned for, if it doesn't the scheme will die and the political masters will be seeking Civil Service heads on platters.
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