Examination of Witnesses (Questions 3380
- 3392)
3380. What is worthy of emphasis is the characteristic.
It is not the passing lorry, I can move to the other side of the
room or a different room, it is the all-pervading groundborne
noise that goes through a pillow. It may be so low as not to be
intrusive but what is suggested to the Committee is it must be
fundamentally careful to make sure that there is a level that
there is no risk of noise. That is not just shut the window noise,
it is all-pervasive.
3381. I turn to the question of cost as to whether
it is unacceptable. All the Committee can do, as we can, is adjudicate,
with respect, upon the material you have before you. You are told
that the extra FST is some 6.3 million cost, 4.2km at 1.49. You
are not told whether that is all residencies or not. You are not
told whether the underlying figure is residencies, you are told
a lot of it is studios and theatres. Still you do not have a perfect
exposition of the point. What you do have is a scale, an order.
Whether it is eight per cent or six million or something more,
in the context it is a bagatelle. The consequence of achieving
it for those who have to live here in ten, 20, 50 years is important.
What those who live above the Victoria Line experience is unacceptable
and the simple suggestion that we put to the Committee is require
it, and we have given a mechanism by which it can be required.
I turn to that.
3382. This is my last area that I am going to
deal with very shortly. LBC 37 and 38. This is what we seek and
ask the Committee to require the Promoters to undertake. The first,
as Mr Methold told you, has the extra ingredient of locomotives
and rolling stock and the TBM progress rates and associated thrust
forces. The Petitioners seek clarity and certainty that those
construction concerns will be met and the undertaking has been
drafted to meet that.
3383. Ditto undertaking two. During construction,
why should people suffering from groundborne noise be treated
any different from those who are suffering from airborne noise?
They have no remedy. They cannot have double glazing, even with
temporary double glazing or the like. We ask that if it is serious
enough they be decanted and if it is travelling at 60 metres a
week the tunnel boring machine is not going to cause great expense
to the Promoters if there is a problem.
3384. Undertaking three is perfectly reasonable.
It reflects what was before CTRL. We say quite simply it is sensible
and is a requirement that the local authorities be involved.
3385. The fourth I say nothing about, over and
above saying if there is a concern of the Committee about the
consequences of Best Practicable Means then of course the Petitioners
will reflect, we will be told and we will address it. As it stands,
it is a perfectly acceptable approach, we suggest, that makes
sure that people have 35 dB with some leeway for prediction, interpretation,
maintenance.
3386. The fifth undertaking is I think a matter—I
am somewhat hesitant in this—that ultimately we can resolve.
The way it has been put in closing by Mr Reuben Taylor is an approach
that we will stand alongside and try to work out a solution to
with the Promoters to come before the Committee informally and
give you a certain approach on it. At the moment we do not change
it. We still ask for it but we are going to work on it. We will
listen to what the Promoters say.
3387. That is all I have unless the Committee
has anything for the Petitioners?
3388. Chairman: Thank you very much indeed,
Mr Clarkson, gentlemen. Can I just remind people here that the
Committee is visiting the Tottenham Court Road site next Tuesday.
Anybody who wishes to be there, whether they are agent or counsel
or whatever, should contact the clerks. Thereafter we will meet
here on Wednesday the 15th at 10.00am.
3389. Mr Clarkson: Sir, can I just raise
one point on site inspections to help the Committee. If at any
stage you feel it appropriate to go into any location to hear
sound, Mr Methold would be available and I would be very anxious
that he would be present to try and give you any insight that
you may need.
3390. Chairman: I think that is a very
good idea and we have already arranged that, Mr Clarkson. We have
extended an invitation to our visit next Tuesday and we would
be most grateful if Mr Methold would come along.
3391. Mr Clarkson: Thank you very much.
We will liaise with the Committee clerk as to where and when.
Thank you very much.
3392. Chairman: Thank you all for your
brevity today.
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