Examination of Witnesses (Questions 580
- 599)
580. MS LIEVEN: We will look into that,
my Lord. It may be in the equality impact assessment. We will
look into it and if we cannot deal with it today we will put it
down on our shopping list.
581. LORD BROOKE OF ALVERTHORPE: My next
question would be, then, if we have not any plans to try to put
that right in the future when would the real squeeze point come
when they would need to be put in?
582. MS LIEVEN: I think I should explain
the 93 per cent. It is 93 per cent of journeys if people go to
their nearest station and then travel to another Crossrail station.
So, self-evidently, if you do not go to your nearest station—say
you live right next to Maryland and you travel to Stratford—then
you could say 100 per cent of journeys can be step-free. The 93
per cent is based on going to your closest station. It is also
appropriate that I explain that it is assuming you go from a Crossrail
station to your Crossrail destination. If, for example, you are
going from Stratford to Goodge Street—so you go from Stratford
to Tottenham Court Road on Crossrail—that counts as a step-free
journey. The fact that, actually, your ultimate destination is
Goodge Street on the Northern Line and that is not fully accessible
is not taken into account in the 93 per cent. I think it is important
that the Committee understand what that 93 per cent actually means.
We will look into the question of the degree to which we have
taken into account the likely growth of disabilities in the community
with the ageing population.
583. CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Ms Lieven.
Tell me this: how are you going to deal with this point as it
is raised this afternoon by Newham? For instance, is Dr Maynard
still going to be here, because she may be very relevant to some
of the points they want to make?
584. MS LIEVEN: I hope that Dr Maynard
could stay, and then if there are points that the Committee or,
indeed, Mr Reed want to recall her on, I am sure we could do that.
585. CHAIRMAN: The only thing is I do
not want her to disappear just at the point we are going to be
dealing this afternoon with these very issues.
586. MS LIEVEN: No. I will discuss the
matter with Dr Maynard.
587. CHAIRMAN: It is possible Petitioners
might want to ask some questions of Dr Maynard.
588. MS LIEVEN: My Lord, I am entirely
in the Committee's—and, indeed, Newham's -hands as to whether
they want to ask Dr Maynard questions now or would rather have
that opportunity later in the day when we have heard the Newham
evidence.
589. CHAIRMAN: This was going to be a
general presentation and it has been. I believe that specific
points may arise this afternoon, on which I do not wish to forestall
questions at this stage, but when we have heard the Petitioners
it might be that they want to ask Dr Maynard something, and so
may we. Therefore, it would be very convenient if she could stay.
590. MS LIEVEN: Certainly, my Lord, I
will check that with her over the short break.
591. CHAIRMAN: We will have a short break.
Shall we come back at half-past eleven? Very well; adjourned until
then.
After a short break
592. CHAIRMAN: I think we will now resume.
I am reliably told that there will be tea and coffee in the upper
waiting room tomorrow; unfortunately things broke down today but
it will be put right. Mr Wills, did you want to ask some questions
of Dr Maynard now or do you want to do it later?
593. MS LIEVEN: I think it is Mr Reed,
my Lord.
594. MR REED: Mr Reed, my Lord and I
represent Newham Borough Council. I do have some generic questions
at the moment on some matters relating to the criteria that were
applied. I simply want to understand with Dr Maynard the extent
to which she has had any involvement in those matters.
595. CHAIRMAN: I do not see any reason
why you should not ask generic questions. Dr Maynard is going
to stay this afternoon, and if they are to do particularly with
the stations you are concerned with, she can answer then too.
Go ahead on the generic points.
Cross-examined by MR
REED
596. MR REED: Dr Maynard, can I first
of all understand with you the role that you have had in Crossrail,
please? Am I right that you are the policy adviser to Crossrail
on accessibility issues for the disability and mobility impaired?
(Dr Maynard) No.
597. What is your role?
(Dr Maynard) I am policy adviser to Crossrail on inclusivity
issues so I am policy adviser particularly in relation to the
inclusion policy. What I am very specifically not is an access
consultant, and there is quite a blurred boundary between the
two because obviously accessibility issues are very important
to inclusion and therefore I am very particularly interested in
them but, on the other hand, there are some very technical aspects
of accessibility about which I do not advise Crossrail and that
is the job of David Bonnett Associates.
598. I see. Am I right that you do however advise
them on the policy to be applied in respect of inclusivity generally?
(Dr Maynard) Yes.
599. In that regard do you know about Government
policy on those matters?
(Dr Maynard) Yes.
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