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Agenda item

Crossrail Line 2

Report of the Head of Strategic Transport Planning & Public Realm.

Minutes:

6.1       Graham King, Head of Strategic Transport Planning & Public Realm, introduced the report.  He referred to the current Crossrail 2 consultation which was being held between 27 October 2015 and 8 January 2016 which focussed on the stations and the best route alignment.  TfL were expected to formally seek powers to construct the scheme from 2017.  The Mayor had stated that the project should be completed by 2030.  Crossrail 2 was scheduled to be a feature in two areas in Westminster, Victoria and Soho.   

 

6.2       The Committee heard evidence from Gabrielle Coyle who is the Consents & Environment Manager for Crossrail 2 at TfL.  She informed the Committee that the Crossrail 2 proposals were very fluid and this was a real opportunity to influence them.  It was very beneficial working with officers at Westminster (particularly taking into account Mr King’s experience of projects) as putting together proposals to squeeze the infrastructure into very busy areas of the borough such as Soho was very challenging.  Ms Coyle stated that she had also worked on Crossrail 1 and there had been a number of lessons learnt.  A number of TfL staff had worked on multiple projects, including the construction process and had experience of the issues that might arise. Crossrail 2 would benefit from updated technology.  Ms Coyle stated that there was more flexibility for Crossrail 2 on use of land as in the case of Crossrail 1, a lot of the engineering had taken place a long time ago. Crossrail 2 would also take into account a number of factors such as biodiversity and the needs of cyclists to a greater extent than Crossrail 1.  Ms Coyle urged Members to encourage their constituents to attend the consultation events at Victoria Station on 18 November and Victoria DoubleTree Hilton Hotel on 19 November, and at St Giles Square on 30 November and 1 December.  She had provided Members with a report entitled ‘Crossrail 2 and the environment’ which gave an early view of the scheme, its evolution, the key environmental issues relevant to its development, and the principles that will be applied in addressing them.

 

6.3       In response to questions from the Committee, Mr King and Ms Coyle made a number of additional points.  Ms Coyle advised that funding of specific aspects of the project was her key concern.  She stated that Soho was a difficult location for Crossrail 2 because there were a lot of listed buildings.  Work sites had to be of a certain size to be viable.  Curzon Soho Cinema was well loved but the lease was coming to an end and it was possible that the cinema would not remain at the site regardless of whether the Crossrail station was located there.  There were problems moving the station further south as there would potentially be the need for a further vent shaft site which would require further land take and infrastructure to fit into a tight knit community.  There would also be greater problems regarding travel distances and making the station work.  The whole purpose of the consultation would be to shape the final form of the scheme.  If the Council and community submitted proposals that were improved and effective, TfL would look closely at these.  Mr King added that he was very concerned about the listed buildings north and south of Shaftesbury Avenue.  The Curzon Cinema was not a listed building but the use was one that the Council would wish to protect.  It could potentially be relocated and this would be the subject of further discussions.  The Council definitely wished to avoid the Palace Theatre being removed as part of the Crossrail 2 proposals.  Mr King also advised that for Crossrail 1 Network Rail was a contractor, for Crossrail 2 Network Rail is a partner.  This would make a significant difference.  There would also be an opportunity with Crossrail 2 to balance the impacts of terminal railway stations, notably Victoria and Waterloo.   

 

6.4       The Committee considered that one of the challenges was to ensure that residents were aware and were able to respond to the shaping of the scheme.  Local representatives, including ward councillors, had their part to play in this process.

 

6.5      RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the latest proposals for Crossrail 2 and the implications for Westminster.

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