Examination of Witnesses (Questions 7693
- 7699)
Ordered at 10.00 am: that Counsel and Parties be
called in.
7693. CHAIRMAN: Good morning.
The Petition of the London Borough of
Camden
7694. MR TAYLOR: Good morning my Lords.
7695. Two days ago the Committee raised an issue
relating concerns about the date on which the ORR would be publishing
its decision in relation to the Act and I have a statement to
read out in relation to that matter this morning.
7696. CHAIRMAN: You go ahead with that.
7697. MR TAYLOR: Mr Elvin explained in
opening on day one, paragraph 93: "It is fundamental to securing
the necessary investment in Crossrail to be able to guarantee
the service it proposes, and the service which Parliament has
approved, to make sure that it will actually be provided. As a
result, extensive railway powers were included in Clauses 22-45
of the Bill," as the Committee will be aware. "These
powers have proved to be controversial within the rail industry
and were the subject of extensive petitioning in the House of
Commons."
7698. In order to overcome uncertainty surrounding
the potential use of Bill powers, the government has pressed ahead
with obtaining what is known as an `access option'—that
is to say, an agreement with Network Rail which requires the approval
of the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) and which enables Crossrail
services to be run."
7699. On 3 March of this year the ORR published
the decision that it proposed to make, namely to approve the access
option for Crossrail services with some modifications for a term
of 30 years. The ORR then provided a further period for representations
from stakeholders until 17 March of this year.
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