Examination of Witnesses (Questions 9640
- 9659)
9640. LORD SNAPE: I have the same problem
and I am not an engineer!
(Mr Berryman) Terminal 5 is at the top of this drawing and
the idea is to build a new track down here. As it happens, this
uses the track bed of the old branch which we have been talking
about which goes up to the north. That branch was truncated by
the M25—I am sorry to report to your Lordship in view of
your remarks about the M25—but the southern part of that
branch would be used or close to it in any event and it will join
with the existing railway. This is the line that goes up to Windsor,
and a new station will be built at Staines High Street (Indicating).
Staines Station is a little way from the main activity of the
town and a new cord built here to link onto the lines going down
to Reading. Trains going down to Waterloo will go down that existing
Windsor line, through the existing station site and off to Waterloo;
trains going down to Reading will go through the new station site
around the cord in the centre of Staines and off down towards
Reading.
9641. LORD SNAPE: Thank you.
9642. MR ELVIN: I do not know whether
your Lordships have any further questions?
9643. LORD BROOKE OF ALVERTHORPE: We
have heard enough!
9644. CHAIRMAN: That is very helpful.
Thank you very much.
The Petition of English Welsh & Scottish
Railway Ltd
The witness withdrew
9645. MR ELVIN: My Lords, the next matter
for your Lordships is the remainder of EWS's petition. I do not
propose to say anything else other than to say this: Mr George
is going to show you in a moment the agreement over Old Oak Common
which has been reached. As I said yesterday, the arrangement is
a sale of EWS's holdings at Old Oak Common to CLRL and there is
a version which, although it has "draft" on, it is no
longer draft but I will confirm that Mr George is going to show
you the agreed terms but Old Oak Common is now resolved, fortunately.
The following Petition against the Bill was read:
The Petition of English, Welsh and Scottish Railway
Ltd.
MR CHARLES
GEORGE QC appeared on behalf of
the Petitioner.
MESSRS BIRCHAM
DYSON BELL
appeared as Agent
9646. CHAIRMAN: Mr George?
The Petition of English Welsh & Scottish
Railway Ltd
9647. MR GEORGE: My Lords, before I start
I wonder whether Mr Berryman could be recalled to deal with this
matter of Old Oak Common?
9648. MR ELVIN: He has instructed me
to confirm.
9649. MR GEORGE: He has instructed you
to confirm.
9650. MR ELVIN: The reason for the peculiarity
is the Secretary of State is not agreeing to buy it, CLRL is but
Mr Berryman has authorised me to indicate to your Lordships it
is agreed.
9651. CHAIRMAN: Is that satisfactory?
(Mr George took instructions)
9652. MR ELVIN: Apparently my word is
not good enough! I am quite happy to recall Mr Berryman. I am
not sure what difference it will make, but there it is.
MR KEITH
BERRYMAN, Recalled Examined
by MR GEORGE
9653. MR GEORGE: My Lords, this will
merely take a couple minutes. Could we please put up on the screen
the Cross London Rail Link Limited statement to the House of Lords
Select Committee. Mr Berryman, you are one of the managing directors
of Cross London Rail Link Limited, is that right?
(Mr Berryman) That is correct, yes.
9654. This document sets out in paragraph 1
that there have been discussions regarding CLRL purchasing EWS's
leasehold interest in the Old Oak Common depot site and in paragraph
2 that heads of terms have been negotiated and agreed between
the parties with the intention that they will work towards a formal
exchange of the contract for the purchase by 19 May 2008.[48]
The document is marked "draft", but I think you are
able to confirm that it is not a draft document?
(Mr Berryman) I am able to confirm that word
"draft" can be safely removed from the document, yes.
9655. If one then goes on down to paragraph
7, if we put paragraph 7 on the screen, it reads: "the parties,
acting reasonably, have agreed to work together in utmost good
faith to conclude a legally binding agreement in accordance with
these terms by 19 May 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter".[49]
Are you able to confirm that is the position, including that manuscript
addition?
(Mr Berryman) Indeed I am.
9656. The situation is I think that there is
still a board meeting to be held by CLRL, but that would be a
few days before 19 May and the hope of everyone is that will lead
to the contract being exchanged?
(Mr Berryman) That is right. For the avoidance of doubt,
the matter has already been put to our board and I think the purchase
price and so on have been agreed.
9657. MR GEORGE: I am very grateful,
Mr Berryman.
9658. CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr Berryman.
The witness withdrew
9659. MR GEORGE: My Lords, as your Lordships
will recall from last Tuesday, Day 21, on behalf of English, Welsh
and Scottish Railway, they are the largest UK operator of rail
freight and also of certain chartered passenger trains. EWS are
particularly hard hit by the proposals in this Bill because there
is a severe impact on its various goods yards on the Great Western
approach to Paddington and it will lose a site which it recently
acquired at Plumstead and lose its major remaining London maintenance
and repair depot, Old Oak Common, which is to become the Crossrail
main depot and about which that sale agreement has just been reached.
This will all happen at a time when EWS has just lost its other
London depot. Temple Mills in the Lea Valley, which has been acquired
for CTRL trains. The taking of those two freight maintenance depots
for two major new passenger ventures, Crossrail and CTRL, illustrates
very starkly how freight, for all the Department's fine words
about its importance, is required over and over again to play
second fiddle to more glamorous passenger services. Nevertheless,
we do not come here today to argue the case for retaining Old
Oak Common. We have seen the light, as it were, and the way things
are going, and faced with the threat of compulsory purchase, terms
have been provisionally agreed and that will pass to Crossrail,
nor are we here in any way to impede Crossrail.
48 Committee Ref: A57, CLRL Statement-English Welsh
and Scotiish Rail Ltd.-Old Oak Common Depot, London Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham (LINEWD-103_04A-001) Back
49
Committee Ref: A57, CLRL Statement-English Welsh and Scotiish
Rail Ltd.-Old Oak Common Depot, London Borough of Hammersmith
and Fulham (SCN-20080430-049) Back
| 
