Examination of Witnesses (Questions 11900
- 11919)
11900. May we turn lastly to the question of
the footbridge over the railway?
(Mr Zamit) I know this footbridge very well,
I use it a great deal. The footbridge is in a shocking state and
we think it should be replaced completely. It is known locally
as a muggers' paradise. To replace and extend only the northern
end, as proposed in the Amendment to Provisions of May this year,
leaves the rest of the bridge in its current terrible state. We
consider that it is pointless to put in disabled access at only
one end. The bridge needs to be replaced completely with disabled
access to both ends, with better lighting and a CCTV system. I
believe that if this is not done the present situation, which
is totally unsatisfactory, would be made even worse by the extension
of the bridge on the northern side. An upgrade of this important
connection which is much used by residents and will be used by
pupils and staff of the Westminster Academy, which is presently
being built, would at least give a small amount of community benefit.
11901. Thank you, Mr Zamit, is that the end
of your evidence?
(Mr Zamit) Yes.
11902. Please stay where you are for the time
being as there may be other questions.
(Mr Zamit) Yes, Sir, I am happy to assist the
Committee as I can.
Cross-examined by Mr Taylor
11903. Mr Taylor: I think I have got
one or two questions for Mr Zamit, if I may. Mr Zamit, if we might
begin with the concerns that you raised in relation to Brewers
Court at the building next to Bishops Bridge Road.
(Mr Zamit) Yes.
11904. I take it that PRACT is aware of the
content of information paper D9, the proposals for noise mitigation
being put forward by the promoter?[39]
(Mr Zamit) Yes.
11905. And you will be aware I take it that
a supplementary Environmental Statement is going to be prepared
and produced in relation to the works on Bishops Bridge Road that
will assess the likely significant impacts as a result of those
works and will identify those properties that may qualify under
the noise and mitigation scheme.
(Mr Zamit) Yes.
11906. You do not suggest do you that there
is anything defective about the noise mitigation scheme put forward
by the promoter in information paper D9?
(Mr Zamit) I await to see the detail.
11907. You were sent that information with the
promoter's petition response document. Have you had a chance to
review that as a group?
(Mr Zamit) We looked at those documents at
the weekend and I do not recall that.
11908. You take no points on that here today?
(Mr Zamit) No.
11909. I think you raised some concerns about
whether or not there would be hoardings provided on the work site?
(Mr Zamit) Yes, screening.
11910. I take it that you are not aware that
the Paddington New Yard site is proposed to have a 3.6 metre high
hoarding on a certain side for a significant length?
(Mr Zamit) What is the length? What is the
extent of it?
11911. I will ask Mr Rupert Thornely-Taylor
to address that in detail but I take it you were not aware of
that?
(Mr Zamit) No.
11912. We will leave that then. Can we turn
then to address your concerns relating to bus routes and the use
of Eastbourne Terrace. As I understand it, you are contending
that Eastbourne Terrace should continue to be used by buses and
bus stops and stands should be provided within Eastbourne Terrace
during the construction work of Crossrail, is that right?
(Mr Zamit) I do not believe we have said that.
We have indicated that the stands can be relocated on the new
bridge where the taxis are presently standing and queuing so that
can be accommodated. We have not suggested that the present stops
in Eastbourne Terrace have to remain. We understand the traffic
would have to flow one way each way. We have not in our evidence
asked for the bus stops to stay as they are. What we have said
is that we want the buses in both directions to use Eastbourne
Terrace rather than these southerly and easterly buses to use
Westbourne Terrace. We pointed out that there would be a loss
of a bus stop by Brewers Court and Bishop's Bridge Road under
the proposals for sending buses down Westbourne Terrace, but we
would obviously understand that the bus stops in Eastbourne Terrace
would be removed.
11913. I see. Thank you very much for that clarification.
So far as the potential use of Eastbourne Terrace by buses, that
is a matter which no doubt Westminster City Council would have
an interest in?
(Mr Zamit) Yes, we have mentioned that. I mentioned
that. The concern I had when I had the meeting on 6 June was there
had been discussions, it appears, with Crossrail and TfL on the
proposed bus routes, but they did not seem to have involved at
that stage local residents or users, but in particular had not
involved, as we understood it, Westminster City Council. This
proposal to run the buses down Westbourne Terrace seemed to be
after discussions just with the parties of Crossrail and TfL and
not with anyone else. We want to point out the disadvantages,
in our opinion, with our local knowledge of that proposal.
11914. Westminster City Council are perfectly
aware, are they not, of the proposal to divert buses down Westbourne
Terrace?
(Mr Zamit) They may be aware of them at this
late stage. I do not know when they were advised of that, but
I am not aware they have been in discussions or have given agreement
to that.
11915. Have you raised the matter with Westminster
City Council?
(Mr Zamit) As soon as we found this out, we
sent out an email to the Director of Transportation, Martin Lowe,
explaining the situation, telling him our concerns and asked to
have an early input into any discussions with TfL on the diversions
of bus routes.
11916. Westminster City Council appeared earlier
today in relation to Paddington issues and they have not raised
the concerns with the Committee regarding the routing of buses,
as proposed by the Promoter, down Westbourne Terrace, have they?
(Mr Zamit) I was not here to hear what they
said. I did not appreciate they had given their approval. I thought
it was a matter still to be discussed and decided.
11917. Can we look at the Promoters' exhibit,
page 32, the swept path just for a moment.[40]
Here we have a swept path for one of the bendi buses—I had
not realised bendi was spelt with an "i" but you learn
a new thing every day—and you raised concerns about how
traffic is going to flow down Craven Road where a bus turning
the corner takes up so much of the space of the carriageway on
the opposite side of the road as it makes the turn.
(Mr Zamit) Yes, we raised concern
that the bendi bus and, I believe, others will also strain the
outside lane of Westbourne Terrace when they turn left. Their
movements will necessitate the stop line of Craven Road to be
set back considerably. We believe all these movements down Westbourne
Terrace and then into Craven Road will have repercussions of delaying
and causing traffic queues in Westbourne Terrace, which at the
moment without the buses, a busy road flows very well. We believe
the buses and the bus stands will create traffic delays and congestion
backups which will have resulting pollution.
11918. So far as the bus making the turn is
concerned, the issue about traffic on the other side of the road
is addressed by moving the stop line, is it not?
(Mr Zamit) Yes, but that would mean it takes
more time to get from the stop line across the junction that will
have a knock-on effect in delaying the traffic in this busy junction.
11919. You raised a concern as to the Congestion
Charge Zone. Obviously when the Mayor takes a decision about changes
to the charging zone boundary, he has to undertake a particular
procedure, does he not?
(Mr Zamit) Yes, that is correct.
39 Crossrail Information Paper D9 Noise and Vibration
Mitigation Scheme, http://billdocuments.crossrail.co.uk Back
40
Committee Ref: A131, Westbourne Terrace/Craven Road Bendi bus
swept path (WESTCC-12004-032). Back
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