Examination of Witnesses (Questions 1680
- 1699)
1680. CHAIRMAN: Ms Lieven, do you want
to add anything in closing?
1681. MS LIEVEN: My Lord, if I can detain
the Committee for about two minutes just to pull some of the points
together. The Committee has all the points but as far as bikes
and trains are concerned the carriages will be designed so that
there is space. There will be consultation through the appropriate
parts of Crossrail to ensure that we have the balance right and—to
take Lord James' point on board—to take into account current
best practice and lessons learnt from elsewhere.
1682. As far as when bikes are allowed and on
what parts are concerned, I would urge the Committee that is not
a matter which should be decided now. We are entirely cognisant
of the level of support for bicycle usage and obviously TfL is
half of Crossrail and TfL is very, very strongly in favour of
more bicycles, but it would not be right to adopt a policy now
as a unilateral step which is inconsistent with London Underground's
very longstanding policy and which could cause London Underground
very great operational problems. It is really an issue which needs
to be addressed at the appropriate time, but as part of an integrated
transport strategy, which I can assure the Committee it will be
with Network Rail, London Underground, other parts of TfL and
the Department of Transport.
1683. Cycle parking, again, to assure the Committee
that we have worked positively with local authorities—Islington
and Tower Hamlets are good examples of that—and we will
continue to do so, but to a large extent much of the evidence
which Mr Holladay gave is really outside our control. If TfL want
to have free bike use, then it is for them to go to Camden or
Tottenham Court Road, Westminster or Bond Street and talk about
where that can be provided. It is not something that Crossrail
can take on.
1684. On construction traffic, again, to reassure
the Committee, we are very aware of the concerns and of the issues
which arise around construction lorries. We have given the assurance
to the CTC that we will include cycle awareness in site induction
programmes and we will encourage contractors to take that on board
in their own training as well, so it is something we have very
much got in mind and will take forward talking to CTC. I think
those are the main issues, unless there is anything else.
1685. CHAIRMAN: Mr Peck, do you wish
to say anything finally?
1686. MR PECK: There is one thing I do
want to say about the cycle carriage use, we did not think it
was appropriate to discuss them here because we felt that was
a matter for detailed discussion at a later date and we have obviously
very strong views on the subject that we anticipate that being
done through a process of consultation. Perhaps with hindsight
we might have brought those issues to your attention as well today.
It is a pity we did not.
1687. CHAIRMAN: We are very grateful
to you if you are doing so, but I think you will have to remain
very closely in touch with the various authorities concerned with
this.
1688. MR PECK: That would be a very good
idea and it is very useful to air some of these issues today.
Thank you very much for the opportunity.
1689. MS LIEVEN: My Lord, before we finish
today's proceedings, I do not know whether it is helpful for me
to go through next week to tell you what is and what is not likely
to come before the Committee.
1690. CHAIRMAN: I think we know but anyway,
do that please.
1691. MS LIEVEN: Monday afternoon we
have got Iver Parish Council, the Ramblers Association and the
Open Spaces Society coming to talk about Dog Kennel Bridge. They
will undoubtedly come so that will happen. Tuesday we have Tower
Hamlets and the Eleanor Street All Travellers Group coming to
talk about the travellers' site at Elm Street. We understand that
Tower Hamlets will be about an hour and both of them will come.
I do not think that the Travellers Group are likely to be particularly
long. We then come to Habitat who have withdrawn.
1692. CHAIRMAN: I think they have withdrawn.
1693. MS LIEVEN: Not quite withdrawn,
but they are very, very unlikely to come. Sir John Cass's Foundation,
it is an issue about lorries close to a school and we are still
in discussion with them, we just do not know at this stage whether
they are going to come or not. Mr Middleton, who is about extending
the route to, amongst other places, Milton Keynes will undoubtedly
come. We will say that he goes outside the principle of the Bill.
It is really more in your Lordship's hands and Mr Middleton's
as to how long he takes. The Smithfield Market Traders' Association
are likely to come before your Lordships but there is programming
to be done about precisely where.
1694. CHAIRMAN: I gather they want a
day.
1695. MS LIEVEN: Yes.
1696. CHAIRMAN: There probably is not
much use going into Tuesday afternoon.
1697. MS LIEVEN: I think perhaps the
best thing is to leave that to Mr Walker and your clerk's very
capable hands to discuss. Wednesday morning we have got a noise
site visit, that will happen, and Wednesday afternoon we have
got Mr Saunderson, who is the owner of some land close to Farringdon
Station and his Petition is about compensation effectively. He
will undoubtedly come, he came to the House of Commons. I think
in the House of Commons we took about an afternoon on him, it
was one session, so we would predict it would be about the same.
As I understand it, we now have nobody for Thursday because there
has been to-ing and fro-ing about Thursday but it is a free day.
1698. As far as Smithfield's is concerned, it
is a compensation issue primarily and they did appear before the
House of Commons. I think they took about a day, perhaps a little
bit more, and I think they are raising not dissimilar issues again.
1699. CHAIRMAN: We will try and get that
rearranged.
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