Examination of Witnesses (Questions 10000
- 10019)
10000. Mr Lancaster: My next point is
to do with the noise and vibration, and if this problem can be
solved then maybe we do not need compensation. Obviously the construction
of the railway and the running of the railway when it is built
underneath these properties will have a noise and vibration impact
on them and all I am asking here is for the Committee to ensure,
on our behalf, that the absolute best possible insulation, vibration
protection materials and everything else that can be done to make
the construction and the running of this railway as un-intrusive
as possible.
10001. On the subject of professional fees,
I understand that we are not able to claim anything for any professional
fees in preparing presentations here, and that is why I am doing
it, and in preparing our petitions and so on. However, I do want
to make sure that if we do need condition checks and surveys and
work done to ensure that there is not subsidence, that professional
fees for those reports are covered by the Promoter.
10002. I am concerned about hours of work and
I think that the local authority has dealt with that.
10003. Mr Lidddell-Grainger: They have
indeed, Mr Lancaster.
10004. Mr Lancaster: Noise and vibration
management. We are told in the response to our Petition that a
plan will be prepared where appropriate. I would just ask the
Committee, we have not seen this plan and I gather that it is
not yet done, but we would ask that the noise, disturbance and
dust are controlled in some way, preferably perhaps by the local
authority having powers to measure it, control it and prevent
that going on during construction. We feel that acceptable levels
of dust emissions, noise and pollution from the vehicles and so
on should be agreed in advance and adhered to by the construction
companies and that such plant as pumps, generators, diggers and
so on, the noise from those should also be controlled and monitored.
10005. Two small points, perhaps. We are concerned
about the amount of parking. The area is very difficult for parking,
it is extremely congested and it is very hard. We are concerned
that contractors and other employees involved with the railway,
their parking should be managed or they should preferably be arriving
by public transport when working here, and if their parking cannot
be managed we would like to see the local authority able to enforce
the existing parking regulations properly and have support for
that.
10006. Finally, again a small point. We noticed
in the response that there are plans to deal with pest infestation.
I presume this means the release of rats into the area from digging
up sewers and so on, and I would like to see that the Promoters
provide extra resources to make sure that that health hazard is
controlled during construction works.
10007. That is my Petition.
10008. Mr Lidddell-Grainger: Mr Mould.
10009. Mr Mould: Would you like me to
respond?
10010. Mr Lidddell-Grainger: Have you
any direct response to anything? I think most of it has been covered
elsewhere.
10011. Mr Mould: I think that is right.
I can respond very briefly on the points that have been raised.
10012. Mr Lidddell-Grainger: If you feel
that something can be added please do. The only thing I would
ask is perhaps you would write to Mr Lancaster just to explain
the code on compensation?
10013. Mr Mould: We can certainly do
that. In fact I think we have sought to do that already.
10014. Mr Lidddell-Grainger: If you would;
I think Mr Lancaster would appreciate it.
10015. Mr Mould: We can add a little
more on that. I will work backwards, if I may? On the question
of controlling pests, that, as you know already, is something
that will be dealt with under the provisions of the Code of Construction
Practice. The employees' parking, certainly I think Mr Berryman
has given evidence already to the Committee that we very much
expect that public transport will be the primary source of transportation
for Crossrail employees and workers to their place of work at
the worksite, but beyond that control over Crossrail related traffic
will be part of the Code of Construction Practice.
10016. I do not think I need to say any more
about noise and vibration, you know about the COPA Regime.
10017. Perhaps I ought to say very briefly that
in relation to settlement both of the properties that the Petitioner
owns have been the subject of assessment as part of our settlement
process and in terms of settlement effect—and that is the
key point, it is not the lack of settlement, it is the lack of
any settlement effect on these properties—the assessment
shows that those effects are expected to be negligible.
10018. Mr Lidddell-Grainger: Thank you.
Mr Lancaster, thank you very much indeed. Mr Cleovoulou, I am
told by our deputy clerk that you want five minutes only, is that
right?
10019. Mr Cleovoulou: I do not say that,
but I will make it as brief as I can.
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