Examination of Witnesses (Questions 800
- 819)
800. For the Committee's benefit, can you indicate,
please, the Council's general position on the scheme in principle?
(Mr West) Yes, indeed. The Council supports
the Crossrail scheme in principle and takes the view that the
new railway would assist with the regeneration of Stratford and
the Royal Docks. The new railway and the additional stations,
in particular, will provide improved accessibility to these sites.
This is widely recognised as an essential requirement to regenerate
deprived areas. Whilst strongly supporting the overall principle
of the scheme, the Council did raise a number of detailed objections
to it. This position was formally endorsed by a resolution of
the Council on 12 May 2005, which authorised officers to lodge
a Petition to submit the Council's concerns.
801. In terms of the position since lodging
the Petition, have there been any meetings between the Council
and representatives of the Crossrail team?
(Mr West) Yes, there have. There have
been numerous meetings discussing a number of subjects.
802. Has the question of accessibility been
resolved?
(Mr West) The question of accessibility
has not been resolved at this stage.
803. And in terms of the approach taken by the
Council generally towards accessibility in respect of the Crossrail
proposals, whether the current Crossrail proposals or the original
ones in 1994, what has the borough's position been?
(Mr West) My Lords, I would like to point out the Council's
position has been consistent throughout the years. Indeed, when
the petitioning period for the first Bill was introduced in 1994,
the Council did actually raise the issue of mobility access then.
Whilst the Council welcomes the inclusion of Forest Gate Station
as part of the amendment of provisions in 2006 to the list of
stations as being accessible, it does regret that the stations
at Maryland and Manor Park will not be so. [35]
804. Before turning to the detail of those two
stations, can we just look please at the position of Newham in
respect of deprivation rankings, and the like? What is the position
in respect of Newham and its deprivation ranking, both in London
and in England generally?
(Mr West) My Lords, if I could perhaps turn to slide five,[36]
that one there, you will see that Newham is the 11th most deprived
borough in England and ranked fourth in London overall in the
index of deprivation. I would further point out that Newham is
also ranked second in London in terms of employment deprivation
and first in terms of income deprivation.
805. Why is that matter significant in this
case, Mr West?
(Mr West) I think it is significant because
we are asking people who are on low pay scales, who are on low
pay, or who do not have much disposable income to make trips on
public transport, and the cost to those people who have small
incomes is going to be quite considerable as a percentage of their
total disposable income.
806. Thank you. And can you go on to the next
slide and look at the question of car ownership.[37]
We have Stratford and New Town wards and also Manor Park ward.
What does that tell you about the situation in those particular
wards in respect of car ownership?
(Mr West) In respect of car ownership, the community
has relatively low car ownership: 41 per cent of households compared
to a Newham average of 51 per cent and a London average of 62
per cent.
807. CHAIRMAN: Sorry, could you say those
again because they are not on the slide?
(Mr West) I think they are on slide six. I will repeat the
point I made, my Lord. The figure I was quoting was the 41 per
cent of households—that is in Maryland, Stratford and New
Town ward as shown on the slide, compared to a Newham average
of 51 per cent, so car ownership in the wards that we are referring
to—
808. That is the last box on the right-hand
side.
(Mr West) --- is actually lower than the Newham average of
51 per cent, and even lower still than the London average of 62
per cent.
809. So the London average, which is not on
that table, is 62 per cent; is that right?
(Mr West) That is correct.
810. Thank you very much. Can we look please
at the levels of unemployment in the Stratford and New Town wards,
which are not the subject matter of these tables, are they?
(Mr West) No, they are not. My Lords, just to let you know
that unemployment in Stratford and New Town wards, the wards relating
to the two stations in question, Maryland and Manor Park, unemployment
is 9.7 per cent as opposed to a London average of 4.4 per cent,
and economic activity rates are at 61.9 per cent as opposed to
the London average of 67.6 per cent.
811. And the number of students, do you have
any figures on that?
(Mr West) As far as the students are concerned, my Lord,
there is a higher than average proportion of students in the ward
at five per cent as opposed to the London average of just three
per cent.
812. We are looking of course at the mobility
restricted as well as the disabled. Are there any other figures
you can provide in terms of permanently sick or disabled generally
within those wards and their comparison with the borough and their
comparison with the London position?
(Mr West) Yes indeed. Newham has a higher proportion of permanently
sick or disabled people, and a relatively high proportion of those
employed work in hotels and catering.
813. And can we look please at slide number
seven, the numbers of disabled people.[38]
And if we can just look at the position in respect of again Maryland
and Manor Park wards, we have there the numbers in receipt of
the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance;
yes?
(Mr West) That is correct, yes.
814. Those are shown at 2.3 per cent and at
3.5 per cent for Manor Park ward and for Maryland?
(Mr West) That is correct, yes.
815. Do you know how that compares at all with
the position either nationally or in London as a whole?
(Mr West) Yes, the national average is 0.7 per cent so the
figures in Newham are considerably higher than the national average.
816. CHAIRMAN: Mr Reed, I am sorry to
interrupt you but you asked an awful lot of questions this morning
about what was meant by disabled. What do these categories in
fact entail?
817. MR REED: My Lord, as I understand
the position, and Mr West will correct me, the figure of 2.3 per
cent is in respect of the higher rate mobility component of Disability
Living Allowance.
818. CHAIRMAN: I can see that because
it is in the table. What does it mean?
819. MR REED: My Lord, that is an allowance
that is provided to the more seriously disabled. It is the highest
level of disability, as I understand it, and in that case, in
those circumstances, it is a limited figure because it is taking
the most severely disabled as opposed to those who may also be
on lower rates.
35 Committee Ref: A2, Crossrail Stations in Newham
inaccessible for People with Restricted Mobility (NEWMLB-53_05-003) Back
36
Committee Ref: A2, Index of Deprivation (NEWMLB-53_05-005) Back
37
Committee Ref: A2, Car Ownership (NEWMLB-53_05-006) Back
38
Committee Ref: A2, Numbers of Disabled People (NEWMLB-53_05-007) Back
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