Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Minutes of Evidence

APPENDIX 7

Memorandum submitted by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

1. Barking and Dagenham Council support the aspiration of a car free Millennium Dome which makes as much use as is possible of public transport. We also recognise that a proportion of visitors to the Dome will use a private motor car for at least part of the journey. The Borough accepts that it would be unreasonable to expect NMEC to provide a solution which ensures that private motor cars will not be used at all.

2. We are concerned at changes in the emphasis of the Transport Strategy that is being produced by NMEC. Of particular concern is the evident abandonment/scaling down of park and ride/sail facilities due to apparent logistical problems. In its stead NMEC propose to simply utilise existing parking facilities in and around London. This raises the following key questions:

3. NMEC TRANSPORT STRATEGY

It is not clear as to where those existing car parking facilities are but it seems that they will include facilities at major venues. How do NMEC intend to manage and co-ordinate such visitors in a manner that minimises traffic impact, ensures that visitor motor cars do not enter central London areas, and ensures that car parking spaces are readily available at the transport nodes identified? It is realistic to expect people to use facilities at major venues which, because of their location, will greatly increase overall journey times to the Dome?

4. We are concerned that a strategy which uses existing car parks at transport nodes and/or at major venues, disperses cars throughout London in an unmanaged and uncoordinated manner. This will exacerbate congestion and thus increases the chance of cars attempting to get as close to the Dome as possible. In any event, visitors are likely to have to search for a car parking space at different sites which will increase pressure on local roads.

5. Have NMEC considered the effects of predicted increases in car ownership levels which are likely to increase pressure on existing car parking spaces at London's transport nodes?

6. Have NMEC considered the impacts of other major events within London which will increase pressure upon existing parking capacity within London?

7. This Borough believes that NMEC should be exploring strategies that reduce the impact of the car. It would be realistic to expect people travelling from anywhere north of the Dome to head towards Stratford and surrounding areas, and anybody from the south to locations close to the Greenwich peninsula. Thus, any strategy should, firstly, direct cars to accessible locations near the M25 with a direct public transport link to the Dome wherever possible and, secondly, discourage car users from central London areas. Thirdly, it would need to recognise the different needs of people from north and south of the river.

8. Clearly the development of park and sail facilities at Barking Millennium Pier and Woolwich Arsenal would fulfil such a strategy.

9. BARKING PIER

We are advised that there are logistical problems associated with park and sail at Barking as referred to within the progress report on transport issues of Government Office for London to the Select Committee but are unsure as to what they are. The site is located off a main trunk road approximately 15 minutes drive from the M25. The impact upon existing residential property will be minimal as the access road does not pass through a residential area. Discussions with river boat operators have revealed no further logistical problems and they are confident of the Barking site's economic viability. Management of dedicated car parking sites as compared with many small sites at existing transport nodes within London would be minimal.

10. LEGACY VALUE

For East London in particular what legacy value will be derived from a transport strategy which disperses cars and traffic throughout London? There is no development of a new transport link, there are no real measures or incentives to reduce the propensity to use the motor vehicle and there is no consideration for the long term economic viability of the Dome site.

11. The Barking park and sail site offers a golden opportunity to expand the Millennium Experience into north east London. Any such celebration could be easily co-ordinated with existing schemes and initiatives already due to be undertaken within the Borough.

12. SUMMARY

In summary it is clear that use of the private motor vehicle will need to be managed in order to minimise traffic impact and maximise potential for making public transport more attractive. In addition, if such measures are not undertaken, there is a very real danger that the overall Millennium Experience will be tainted by the difficulties of access by visitors for whom it is only feasible to use their private car.

13. There is scope for some immediate action, which could include the type of tickets sold. For example, the ticket price could include all necessary public transport transfers from the place of purchase, or if desired and pending availability, a car park pass to a London site. It would also be worth exploring introduction of single price ticket so that visitors from afar are not penalised and have equal opportunity to visit the Dome. The price of the car park pass should be weighted in order to encourage car sharing and to ensure that, in overall, public transport is the most economical.

14. In order to make public transport attractive people have to be able to access facilities easily and readily. The most economic method of doing this would be the development of dedicated park and sail/ride sites. Barking and Dagenham can easily provide such a site which is accessible to visitors from the north, east, south east and the continent (being 15 minutes from the M25) and is close to over-night stay facilities and existing public transport links (bus, underground and overland rail). Similarly, Woolwich Arsenal will provide an essential facility to the south of the river Thames.

15. Such a development will help to establish much needed river transport service into central London, enhances north-south links, is in line with economic and social aspirations of Thames Gateway outlined within RPG9a and is supported by LPAC.

June 1998

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Prepared 12 August 1998