Examination of Witnesses (Questions 9320
- 9339)
9320. As well as a local opportunity, the station
will provide a strategic point for transfer between the new east-west
express line (Crossrail) and the new orbital and north-south inner
London line (East London Line). The point we emphasise is that
Whitechapel is much more than a local station .
9321. However, beyond the principle of the Whitechapel
Station, the group have some significant secondary concerns in
relation to the Promoter's plans for the station, particularly
in terms of negative impacts upon users of the soon-to-be extended
East London Line.
9322. I would thus like now to turn to the issue
of plain-lining of the District and Hammersmith and City Line
platforms. This is dealt within paragraph 27 of our petition.
9323. The Promoter's proposed interchange between
Crossrail and the other lines serving Whitechapel Station (East
London, District and Hammersmith and City Lines) is dependent
upon the timely delivery of plain-lining of the District Line
platforms under current London Underground PPP arrangements.
9324. The present District and Hammersmith and
City Line platforms are narrow island platforms and we understand
that Crossrail will require large single platforms to cope with
the projected passenger numbers interchanging between lines. At
present this process, entitled "plain-lining", is part
of the LU PPP rather than Crossrail and its timely delivery is
not guaranteed.
9325. If the plain-lining of the District Line
platforms were not to occur in advance of Crossrail construction,
the Promoter has let it be known that, as the existing District
Line platforms are not adequate to handle a direct interchange
with Crossrail, an entrance to and from Crossrail will be built
onto Cambridge Heath Road. This scenario would result in no direct
underground interchange between either the District/Hammersmith
and City Lines or the extended East London Line. Passengers would
instead have to find their way along the street between the new
Crossrail Station entrance and the existing station entrance.
The group find such a scenario entirely unsatisfactory and against
the principle of the Crossrail scheme.
9326. The group are however reassured by the
Promoter's latest statement that they are "...confident that
its work with the London Underground will be successful and that
the District line and plain-lining will be completed before Crossrail
commences."
9327. Whilst we recognise this does not amount
to a guarantee, the group are nevertheless prepared to put faith
in the Promoter concluding these negotiations successfully and
we will therefore pursue the issue no further before the Select
Committee. However, we trust that the topic of our concerns is
now understood by the Committee.
9328. I would like now to move to the issue
of the East London Line platform lengthening. This is dealt with
in paragraphs 29 to 31 of our petition.
9329. The East London Line extension, phases
1 and 2, represent transport of London's current short and medium-term
developments of this railway. However there are medium to long-term
considerations to increase East London Line service capacity further,
as the present design of some East London Line underground stations
limits the train length to four cars. Some platform lengthening
work would be required at stations between Whitechapel and Surrey
Quays to allow trains to be lengthened to six or eight cars.
9330. The group sought an assurance in its petition
that the Promoter's station designs at Whitechapel would not preclude
the eventual construction of East London Line platform extensions.
The group also felt that, in order to minimise environmental impacts
in the sensitive area around the Whitechapel Station, consideration
be given to constructing the platform extension for eight-car
East London Line trains at the same time as Crossrail construction.
9331. We have been pleased to receive assurance
from the Promoter that their station designs will not preclude
construction of the East London Line platform extensions by others.
We are also pleased that both the Promoter (in their formal response)
and TfL London Rail have now expressed openness to our idea for
the opportunity of extending the East London Line platforms at
the same time as construction of the Whitechapel Crossrail Station.
We have annexed copies of TfL's recent letter to us on the issue
for the Committee's information.
9332. Whilst recognising that further progress
in this area will depend upon the identification of an appropriate
funding stream, the group see no need to pursue this matter further
with the Select Committee.
9333. A penultimate issue is the options for
new underground access to the station which the group raised in
paragraph 26 of our petition.
9334. The group's petition referred to the possibility
of underground access to the Whitechapel Crossrail Station from
the other side of the Whitechapel Road through what we understood
to be by 2010 as disused rail tunnel, the St Mary's Curve. However,
the Promoter has explained that this tunnel in fact will not be
closed. We therefore see no need to pursue the matter further
in front of the Committee, other than to express a desire for
the opportunity to be re-examined were the status of the tunnel
to change before the Committee concludes its deliberations.
9335. The final element of our petition that
we wish to bring to the Committee's attention and to which we
attach the greatest importance is the need to retain access to
the station from the present Whitechapel Road entrance. This was
covered in paragraphs 21 to 25 of our petition.
9336. I would now like to vary slightly, due
to what I heard form Mr Mould a short moment ago.
9337. The most up-to-date designs by the Promoter
for the Whitechapel Station that we have seen still entail the
closure of the current Whitechapel Road entrance and exit. The
current Whitechapel Road entrance is conveniently located in the
centre of the Whitechapel Road Street market and is located close
to the London Hospital and bus interchanges. This is all visible
in the Promoter's photographs of the station site.
9338. The East London Line Group remains unsatisfied
by a Whitechapel Station accessed by the Fulbourne Street entrance
and exit alone.
9339. A Fulbourne Street entrance and exit would
require East London Line passengers to walk the full length of
the District and Hammersmith and City Line platforms in order
to reach staircases to each East London Line platform and a distance
along the Whitechapel Road itself. Assuming existing East London
Line passengers find the present entrance to the Whitechapel Station
most convenient, they will be required to walk an additional 300
yards approximately to access East London Line services.
| 
