Examination of Witnesses (Questions 2060
- 2079)
2060. I have so far discussed individual sites
in the borough which will be affected by the construction of Crossrail,
but these are not the only impacts on the borough. Legitimately
residents and businesses located above the tunnel have been concerned
by the possibility of settlement, noise from the tunnel boring
machines as well as the running of trains when Crossrail is operational.
In its original petition the Council raised concerns about the
adequacies of the information on settlement policy available to
those who lived and worked above the tunnel. As a result we secured
an undertaking which now applies across the whole route to ensure
that people living above the tunnel are properly informed about
Crossrail settlement policy and are able to secure proper legal
safeguards. The Council has taken the lead on re-writing Crossrail's
policy on noise and vibration and has provided practical and financial
support to other boroughs which have been leading on other generic
policies that aim to provide protection from construction impacts.
These include the period of construction, working hours, environmental
minimum requirements, airborne and groundborne noise, and dust
control.
2061. Finally, and together with other petitioners,
the Council has taken a very proactive approach to Crossrail's
policies on consultation and community relations. The Council
acknowledges that it has been a challenging task to ensure the
community is fully consulted and informed on such a major project
as Crossrail. Nevertheless, we feel that Crossrail both underestimated
and under-resourced this work and, as a result, the consultation
approach adopted by Crossrail was inadequate and, as recognised
by the House of Commons Select Committee, resulted in considerable
misinformation on the project and its impacts.
2062. However, rather than just object to the
Crossrail consultation methodology, the Council decided to take
a more proactive approach to consultation in the borough. We have
adopted a policy of sending regular newsletters to all the petitioners
located in the borough as well as other individuals and organisations
affected by Crossrail. The Council's webpage has a separate section
on Crossrail which is regularly updated and provides copies of
the Council's petitions, the Promoter's response and other key
documents. In addition, the Council took a policy decision to
publicise through newsletters or press releases any material it
receives from Crossrail which it considers relevant and will be
of interest to the borough's residents and businesses. To date
31 separate newsletters have been produced and circulated.
2063. The Council does recognise that Crossrail
is now seeking to take a more proactive and positive approach
to community involvement. We very much welcome the request by
the Select Committee in the other place to require Crossrail to
set up a Spitalfields Community Liaison Panel with which in due
course the Council will become fully involved. We also welcome
the very recent publication of the community relations strategy
which we have not yet had a chance to examine closely but which
we believe will contain much good practice. We hope that in the
course of proceedings in connection with the Bill it will achieve
a formal status. Further work is needed by Crossrail, however,
to effectively engage with the local community to ensure the success
of the Community Liaison Panel.
2064. I hope this statement provides the Committee
with a full understanding of the Council's position in relation
to Crossrail and its continuing objective to ensure that the potential
benefits of Crossrail to the borough's residents and businesses
are maximised while seeking to minimise the inevitably serious
construction impacts throughout the borough. I thank the Committee
for its patience.
2065. CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr Drabble.
When we went to Hanbury Street, and I do not suppose in any way
that is unique, the point that was being made to us by the people
who lived there was how narrow the streets are and how tight the
corners are in terms of construction.
2066. MR DRABBLE: Indeed.
2067. CHAIRMAN: I do not suppose that
is the only place where that applies. What progress have you made
about that because you are the Highway Authority?
2068. MR DRABBLE: Agreement on the way
forward in terms of traffic management plans has been reached,
and was reached, by the Committee in the other House, so that
from the Highway Authority's point of view we are satisfied that
we have reached a way forward in dealing with the undoubted construction
issues that will take place and the residential areas around the
shafts, not just Hanbury Street but elsewhere.
2069. CHAIRMAN: I do not think the people
we met have seen anything of the kind.
2070. MR DRABBLE: As I think I have just
said on the consultation part of it, this has been a common experience
in relation to whether or not the individual petitioners have
understood what is being negotiated between the Council and the
Promoters but, as I have just said, the material is on the website
and has been distributed.
2071. CHAIRMAN: I am sure that is right,
but not everybody can deal with websites.
2072. MR DRABBLE: Indeed.
2073. CHAIRMAN: They are quite a well
organised group there, at least judged by the noise they made,
and I would have thought they were contactable.
2074. MR DRABBLE: I know that regular
discussions at the local level take place all the time with the
group and we are committed to public consultation and taking that
forward.
2075. LORD JAMES OF BLACKHEATH: Mr Drabble,
on Friday I had my visit to the site and I was concerned to see
the proximity of the three schools which effectively are within
the construction area or accessing the construction area.
2076. CHAIRMAN: Hanbury Street.
2077. LORD JAMES OF BLACKHEATH: How many
children are there within the travellers' site, and how many of
those children go to any of those schools, please?
2078. MR DRABBLE: The Eleanor Street
children would not go to any of the schools—
2079. LORD JAMES OF BLACKHEATH: Could
we start with the first question. How many children are there
within the travellers' site?
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