Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Minutes of Evidence

APPENDIX 5

Memorandum submitted by Greenwich Borough Council

INTRODUCTION

1. This Memorandum is provided at the request of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in respect of its inquiry into The Millennium Celebrations in the United Kingdom.

2. The Council gave extensive written and oral evidence in November 1997 when the Select Committee inquired into the Millennium Dome. We do not repeat that evidence in this Memorandum although it remains valid.

3. The Council's Memorandum is concerned primarily with our current principal concern which is the subject of transport.

BACKGROUND

4. As the promoting and host Borough for the Millennium Experience the Council is committed to ensuring the success of the event and securing the maximum legacy value for the community. The Council has a duty to ensure that adverse impacts on the local community are minimised. It is concerned that transport arrangements be implemented in accordance with an agreed strategy which is yet to be put in place.

5. The transport strategy and arrangements are critical to the success of the event. The Council is fully committed to a car free transport strategy but has current anxieties with regard to the delivery of critical components of the transport facilities. The following comments outline those concerns and identify the essential outcomes on which the Council will be seeking reassurance.

JUBILEE LINE EXTENSION

6. This project is being undertaken by London Underground and has been under construction since 1993. The opening and full operation of the completed line by 2000, with a full service of 24 trains per hour, are critical to the transport strategy. Further delays beyond the programmed opening date of Spring 1999 and the consequent risk that full service and operation would not be available would give cause for the most serious concern. The Council believes that there is no realistic fall-back position. Failure in delivery of the Jubilee Line will lead to failure of the Experience.

RIVER SERVICES

7. The Council welcomes the appointment of two companies to provide additional river services including the two services to the Millennium Experience from Central London and Historic Greenwich.

8. The Council remains concerned that no new river services are yet confirmed downstream from the Millennium site, particularly to Woolwich.

9. Proposed developments at the Royal Arsenal and in Woolwich Town Centre are spearheading regeneration plans in the area, particularly through increased tourism. The opportunity for a legacy of a new river transport service and pier serving the Royal Arsenal should not, therefore, be missed.

10. River Services operators have recently affirmed informally their interest in providing a service downstream from the Experience. The Council has requested the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to reinvite tenders for this service, alternatively NMEC could require the successful bidders to undertake this service. This would provide an essential component of their revised Park and Ride Strategy to accommodate Millennium experience visitors who travel by car from the South East, where public access is particularly lacking.

TRANSIT LINK

11. The Council is working in partnership with London Transport (LT) Buses, English Partnerships (EP) and NMEC to provide a Rapid Transit Service from the Millennium Experience to Charlton and to Greenwich Town Centre. LT Buses have invited tenders from operators to provide these new services. The route to Charlton on a segregated guide way runs from the Experience entrance through English Partnerships' land, serving the proposed Millennium Village and has been agreed by the Council, London Transport and English Partnerships.

12. Funding arrangements for the Millennium Transit Link are not finalised. A significant contribution has been secured from NMEC. Critical deadlines are imminent for each partner to make the commitment to meet the costs of their respective element of the project. In the case of the infrastructure for the new guide way through the development sites on the Peninsula, the commitment of English Partnerships to meet these costs is required. London Transport Buses will need to consider the tender bids from service operators and ensure the highest quality bids are considered and that any revenue funding gap is met. The provision of an ordinary bus service will not provide the vision and legacy of an environmentally friendly service for the Millennium. Railtrack will need to commit funding for the station improvements at Charlton and the Council will confirm the funding bids from the London Bus Priority Network (LBPN) programme.

13. An improved transport interchange is proposed at Charlton Station with a new turning facility for rapid transit vehicles. This has been agreed in principle by the Council, LT and Railtrack, subject to detailed consultation, with a funding bid from the LBPN. Further development work is being carried out by Railtrack and Connex South East to upgrade and improve the station facilities at Charlton.

14. The route to Greenwich Town Centre has been identified using existing public highway. Additional bus priority measures are proposed, funded from the LBPN programme, and locations for additional stops for transit vehicles in Greenwich Town Centre and at Greenwich Station have been identified. The Council's expectation is that the high quality environmentally friendly vehicles secured for the Charlton Link will be used for the Greenwich Town Link.

15. The Millennium Transit will be a lasting legacy and is envisaged will provide the first phase of a wider public transport system that will serve the whole of the Greenwich Waterfront from Greenwich to Thamesmead/Abbey Wood.

CONTROLLED PARKING ZONE (CPZ)

16. The Council has secured a contribution from NMEC for the introduction of Controlled Parking and Traffic Management measures to protect the surrounding residential areas. This is essential to ensure that the car free strategy at the Experience does not promote extensive parking and traffic impact on local residents.

17. The Council has undertaken an extensive public consultation exercise among 21,000 local residents and businesses and identified the need for a controlled parking zone for a 3km zone around the Experience site. This will deter Millennium visitors from parking whilst accommodating residents and local business needs. The proposed hours of operation (10.00-19.00 hours) were based upon NMEC's then indication of the operational hours of the Experience.

18. The Council is concerned that the current Parking Penalty Charge in Greenwich of £40 (discounted to £20) will be an insufficient deterrent to illegal parking. Representation has been made to the Parking Director for London to increase this charge in line with Inner London penalties (currently £60). In addition to towing and clamping deterrents, the Council believes there may be a need to introduce a significant one off Penalty Charge in the Greenwich area during the Millennium Year and will be making further representation to the Parking Committee for London on this basis.

19. The precise closing hours and number of evening events have still not been finalised although opening hours may well extend well into the evening. If the opening time of the second session and evening events extends beyond the proposed CPZ control hours, there will be no effective control on parking in local residential areas. Times of the CPZ will need to be changed and there will be an increase in operational costs. The Council is concerned that large late evening events will cause the local area to be congested with parked vehicles and that increased parking controls will adversely affect local residents and businesses, impacting on the evening economy of Greenwich.

20. The Council therefore requires final details of the timetabling of events as a matter of urgency to enable a review of the CPZ to be undertaken before the scheme is finalised and may require additional cost recovery. The Council has undertaken consultations with adjacent Boroughs to advise on the Parking proposals and identify any mutual concerns or issues that may arise beyond Greenwich.

PARK AND RIDE STRATEGY

21. NMEC are revising their earlier Park and Ride Strategy to identify availability of sites in existing car parks and sites around the M25 area. The Council will consider this revised strategy and supports the principle of dispersing car visitors to the M25 area where this is practicable. There are however, some difficulties with this approach in South East London. In addition some visitors will inevitably try to drive in as close as possible to the Experience site. The Council's view is that some park and ride facilities will be required in South East London to ensure that Greenwich and surrounding Boroughs are not unduly affected by cars parking on street. The Council's approval of the Park and Ride Strategy is a condition of planning permission.

22. The Council has previously considered NMEC's planning application for Park and Ride sites and approved a site at Woolwich in the Royal Arsenal. This could be implemented with the benefit of a Park and Sail and pier facility.

TICKETING AND MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS

23. The success of the "car free" Transport Strategy is clearly dependent upon encouraging visitors to use public transport rather than their cars, particularly for the last leg of their journey. The ticketing arrangements for visitors using Park and Ride facilities is of particular importance and is subject to a planning condition requiring the Council's approval. This issue needs careful consideration and final details of NMEC proposals for ticketing are therefore required as soon as possible. The Council would wish to consider these details in conjunction with the Park and Ride Strategy since it is clearly an important element of the Transport Strategy.

TRANSPORT CO -ORDINATION

24. The Council notes and welcomes the recent proposal by the DETR to set up a new co-ordinating group, chaired by the Minister of Transport in London, to review all transport related issues for the Millennium Experience. However, the Council is very concerned that it has no direct representative on this group. The Council is the planning authority, the highway authority and the parking authority. It has responsibilities for strategic transport planning in Greenwich and has made major contributions to the implementation of the Jubilee and DLR railway links and to the Rapid Transit. Adequate transport strategy is a planning condition imposed by Greenwich Council. The Council believes it imperative that it be directly represented on this Group. The residents of Greenwich will not understand why the Council is not.

NEW YEAR ARRANGEMENTS

25. The Council is concerned regarding the co-ordination and impact of visitors to Greenwich on 31 December 1999. The area will be the focus for national interest and there are likely to be significant numbers of additional visitors. Special arrangements for transport access and crowd control will be required. There is a need for effective co-ordination of activities between all agencies and the Council believes that Central Government will need to take a leading role in this area.

June 1998

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Prepared 12 August 1998