Examination of Witnesses (Questions 15440
- 15459)
15440. Mr Liddell-Grainger: I think we
will let Mr Taylor answer that when he sums up, I am sure he has
got a perfectly good answer to it because it is question we have
not asked but I think you have posed the question.
15441. Mr Pout: Fair enough. I understand
there is an issue around what is the safety case for the operation
of a railway sub-service with a bicycle on board. The same goes
for mobility access. We were concerned at the number of stations
that are to be modernised and renovated but will not necessarily
have mobility access, one is Maryland Station. That will be at
each alternative station along the route on the East Line which
is where our community follows through on work with the local
authorities. I also know, from my personal experience of living
for four years in Hanwell, that that station is not going to be
included and I looked at it and thought why can these stations
not be upgraded or be part of a programme so that by the time
we reach the completion of Crossrail, which we are now talking
in terms of something like 2017 and the DDA requirements are I
think on schedule for completion by 2020, then really we should
be looking at full mobility access. As a professional with a transport
background, I am aware of the fact that there are constraints
on this.
15442. Mr Liddell-Grainger: My colleagues
have told me that in fact one of the times I was not here the
disability people came in and—
15443. Mr Binley: A disability consultant
spoke about these four particular stations and I am sure Mr Taylor
will be referring to that. I wanted to assure you that it was
well covered and I am sure you would have been satisfied.
15444. Mr Liddell-Grainger: I can assure
you we will come back to it but I rely on my colleagues.
15445. Mr Pout: Thank you for that. Next,
I will go into a little bit more detail on Maryland Station.[35]
Going back to the original private Bill, which came before Parliament
in the 1990s and was sadly rejected, Maryland Station was to be
included in the original project. Maryland is at the far end of
Stratford Broadway.
15446. Mr Liddell-Grainger: Could we
see a map of Maryland Station, just to refresh our minds again.
Please, carry on.
15447. Mr Pout: It is just to the east
of Stratford Broadway. To use a colloquial expression, it is a
bit of a grotty end of town, but, nevertheless, it is a district
called the Grove, where there is some regeneration in progress,
and it is a very useful point where people can access the east
side of Stratford Town Centre, particularly on journeys from out
of London. If somebody is coming in from Ilford or Romford, it
may be more practical for them to use Stratford Station.
15448. I am particularly concerned about inner
city regeneration. I am one of the people who have lobbied for
a long time about the orbital railway network and how important
it is for the business railway, which is a long-distance commuter
railway, to serve the inner cities as well, and this is a classic
example. As I say in my paper, we feel there would be significant
benefits from the provision of a new and accessible entrance from
the Grove as a long-term aspiration but, even for the time being,
to ensure that that station is improved and modernised, to ensure
that it is part of the full stopping pattern for services on the
Sheffield line with most of the services stopping there.
15449. We would like to know what the additional
costs are and why in the 1990s scheme it was justified to include
Maryland but now it is not, because there are social and economic
benefits. Okay, this is going to come in after the Olympics, and
that will be rather sad, but, nevertheless, Stratford is an area
that is going to grow and the addition of that additional facility,
close to Stratford, will take a lot of traffic for many journeys
off a main-line station and mean particularly that people may
be able to have an easier journey to work.
15450. Item 8 is the Eleanor Street travellers'
site. Again we have summed that up in a sentence. I believe that
is substantially resolved and therefore hope that can now be laid
on the table.
15451. Mr Liddell-Grainger: I am sure
Mr Taylor has heard what you have said and will respond.
15452. Mr Pout: A diagram has now come
up on the screen for Maryland Station.[36]
15453. Mr Liddell-Grainger: I just wanted
to make sure I knew where it was. Thank you.
15454. Mr Pout: It is the area around
the Grove, on the east end. There is a lot of housing around there.
There is some new development, particularly on the corner, on
the north-east side, on Leytonstone Road and so on. It is a very
useful location. It is slightly away from the town centre but
it is an important area.
15455. Mr Liddell-Grainger: Thank you.
I would like you to move on.
15456. Mr Pout: Fine. It would similarly
be helpful to have the diagram of Woolwich Station on the screen.[37]
Again, you have had a lot of arguments in favour of Woolwich Station.
15457. Mr Liddell-Grainger: We have,
I think, exhausted Woolwich Station. The Committee was vocal over
Woolwich Station, as Mr Taylor and Ms Liven will remember. You
can safely say what you have put in your arguments will be taken
well on board by this Committee.
15458. Mr Pout: Right. Bus interchange,
crucially important and the benefits of the additional linkages.
My colleague has also put in the notes about the growth and overcrowding
in traffic on the existing North Kent line. If it is going to
grow, then obviously we need to look at alternative capacity there.
15459. We are certainly aware of the fact that
it is away from the existing station. The green square next to
the existing Woolwich Arsenal Station is where most of the buses
terminate, around that square, and it is ensuring that there are
linkages between those buses and the new station, should it go
ahead. I hope it will.
35 Committee Ref: A172, London Thames Gateway Forum-Maryland
Station (LINEWD-35105-003). Back
36
Crossrail Environmental Statement, Volume 4b, Stratford Station,
Key Environmental Features-Map NE1(i), billdocuments.crossrail.co.uk
(LINEWD-ES17-069). Back
37
Crossrail Environmental Statement, Volume 4b, Arsenal Way Shaft,
Key Environmental Features-Map SE5(i), billdocuments.crossrail.co.uk
(LINEWD-ES17-117). Back
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