London Underground
150. Enhancements to the Jubilee and Northern lines
of the London Underground will increase the capacity of the lines
significantly in the years before 2012. These enhancements were
planned within the Public Private Partnership contract and are
separate from the specific Olympic transport schemes.[141]
They will however be essential to the capacity of London's transport
network to cope with the increased numbers of visitors during
the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
151. The Jubilee Line will have a major role in carrying
passengers to and from the Olympic Park in east London. Capacity
on the Line is here is planned to increase by 2009 by adding an
extra carriage to each train, and later increasing the frequency
of trains per hour from 24 to 33 by means of an improved signalling
system. Mr Tim O'Toole, Managing Director of London Underground,
was confident that the private operator Tube Lines would be able
to ensure delivery of these important Jubilee Line enhancements.[142]
152. Evidence from Transport for London
(TfL) was that the Jubilee Line capacity increase would be "45%".[143]
Tube Lines - responsible for delivering the increase under the
London Underground Public Private Partnership contract - told
us this would be "over 40%".[144]
We require complete clarity on what additional capacity is planned.
TfL and Tube Lines now need to confirm to us the agreed figure
for Jubilee Line capacity increases.
153. Once the new signalling system is in place on
the Jubilee Line the same technology will be transferred to the
Northern Line. The new signalling on the Northern Line is due
to be completed by 2011, before the Olympics but not by 2010 which
is the interim Olympic Transport Authority's completion target
for Olympic transport programmes to allow an adequate period of
'real time' testing.[145]
While this signalling enhancement to the Northern Line is less
directly relevant to the smooth flow of spectators to and from
the main Olympic venues, any delay to the signalling enhancement
to this Line will prevent the benefits feeding into an improved
overall London Underground operation by the date of the 2012 Olympics.
154. It will be essential that the capacity increases
for the Jubilee Line on the London Underground flowing from improved
signalling take place as planned by 2010 to permit a period of
'real time' testing before the start of the Olympic Games. If
these improvements fail to materialise then the knock-on effect
on the ability of other parts of the Olympic transport infrastructure
to cope with Olympic visitors is likely to be dire.
155. The installation of new signalling on the Northern
Line is not due to be completed until 2011. This leaves a very
small margin only for any delay before the start of the London
2012 Games. A significant part of the capacity improvements on
the Northern Line depends on new signalling. If additional time
is required beyond 2011 to ensure full operability of the Northern
line, there will also be a detrimental effect on the Underground's
overall ability to transport Olympic visitors.
156. Tube Lines and London Underground should
guarantee that the improved signalling on the Jubilee Line planned
for 2010, and on the Northern Line for 2011, will be fully operational
in time for the Olympic Games in 2012.
Crossrail
157. We received a considerable number of comments
about the Crossrail project, the rail link which would integrate
the mainline railways to the east and west of London through the
construction of two tunnels between central London from Paddington
to Liverpool Street.[146]
A Crossrail Bill is currently before the House and is being considered
by a Committee.[147]
FUNDING
158. Although Olympic transport has been planned
without Crossrail, the funding and construction implications of
hosting the Olympics in 2012 on the Crossrail project cannot be
ignored. The Crossrail project is likely to cost in excess of
£10 billion.[148]
The Government have supported the project and the Crossrail
Bill is due to gain Royal Assent in 2007. But funding for the
project has still to be identified. Since the announcement that
London had won the bid to host the 2012 Olympics, doubt has been
cast on the Crossrail project on the grounds that the finance
needed for the Olympic transport programme would further reduce
the availability of funding for Crossrail.[149]
CONSTRUCTION
159. If funding is found for Crossrail and construction
begins, much of the construction will be adjacent to the construction
of the Olympic Park and Stratford City. Mr John Herman, Head of
Regeneration and Infrastructure, London Borough of Newham, expressed
concerns about the interaction of the Olympics, Stratford City
and potentially Crossrail and the effect on construction traffic:
One of the concerns we do have, of course, is
that all this has to happen at the same time. As well as the Olympics
we have got Stratford City being developed, we have got Crossrail
potentially, we have got some local regeneration projects under
way and we do have some concerns about the interaction of these
and the effect of the construction traffic in that Lea Valley
corridor.[150]
By contrast, Mr Owen Whalley, Service Head, Major
Project Development, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, thought
that the construction of the new transport links in east London
could take place comfortably alongside the construction of Crossrail,
given adequate planning:
Clearly, there will be an interface between Crossrail
and the Olympic bid in a physical sense and the eastern portal
of Pudding Mill Lane between the media centre and the training
warm-up tracks. Our view is that the relationship between the
London Development Agency and the Crossrail project team will
ensure that that interface can be managed and that the two projects
should indeed proceed. Crossrail, in addition to the benefits
that have already been described arising from the Olympics, will
bring major regenerative benefits to East London and Thames Gateway.
Our view is that those two projects should proceed together.[151]
160. Crossrail is not an Olympic project and Parliamentary
agreement to a Bill seeking permission to proceed remains outstanding.
If the construction of Crossrail proceeds in the run
up to the Olympic Games, the Government must ensure that there
are no adverse financial and construction implications for the
successful completion of planned Olympic transport works.
127 Letter from Alistair Darling, Secretary of State
for Transport to Jacques Rogge, President of the International
Olympic Committee, 15 November 2004 in, 'The London Olympic Bill',
House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/55 Back
128
Ev 20 Back
129
Ev 21 Back
130
Ev 103 Back
131
Q 129 Back
132
Q 236 Back
133
Ev 21 Back
134
Q 133 Back
135
HC Deb, 30 November 2005, col 556-7 Back
136
Q 193. Transport and Works Act 1992. Submitted in July 2005 and
awaiting confirmation Back
137
Ev 36 Back
138
Ev 36 Back
139
Q 385 Back
140
HC Deb, 8 February 2006, col 50WS. Letter Secretary of State for
Transport to Chairman of the Committee, 8 February 2006. The amount
of £63.5 million is at 2003 prices Back
141
Ev 106 Back
142
Q 263 Back
143
Ev 74 Back
144
Ev 106 Back
145
Q 264 Back
146
The Crossrail Bill is at present in Committee in the House of
Commons Back
147
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/crossrail.cfm Back
148
The estimate of expense submitted with the Crossrail hybrid Bill
in February 2005 was £10.292 billion at first quarter 2002
prices, HC Deb, 26 January 2006, col 2273W Back
149
Ev 160, Ev 179. "Olympic Costs throw Crossrail into doubt",
Sunday Express, 17 July 2005 Back
150
Q 9 Back
151
Q 13 Back
