In 2005 Transport for London (TfL) tentatively committed to providing up to £18 million of the estimated cost of £65 million, predicting that the link would be operational by 2010. Difficulties arose in securing the remaining funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) and a revised project submission, under new guidelines, was prepared, with a view to obtaining Programme Entry status. A business case was submitted to the DfT in February 2008, with revised costs of £95 million. The proposal was rejected in March on the basis that no guarantee of financial backing had been received from TfL. In July 2008 the East of England Regional Assembly declared the scheme a "priority" and agreed to contribute £119.5 million towards the estimated cost, now £150 million. Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) agreed to allocate £25.8 million which it hoped to recover through ticket sales and other London Underground revenue. It was predicted that the link could be operational within seven years.