Examination of Witnesses (Questions 11440
- 11459)
11440. We have many more of these helpful suggestions!
(Mr Berryman) I think the problem with
keys generally is unless it is a standard key which every fireman
is equipped with, they get to the gate and it is, "Oh, we
brought the wrong key". I fear that would be a risk.
11441. MS LIEVEN: Would it be fair, Mr
Berryman, to suggest there have been quite extensive discussions
with the Royal Parks about this site and where it is needed?
(Mr Berryman) That would be a very mild understatement.
11442. LORD YOUNG OF NORWOOD GREEN: This
is the least worst option.
(Mr Berryman) This is the least worst option. Discussions
on this matter have gone on for literally years.
11443. LORD YOUNG OF NORWOOD GREEN: I
can believe that.
11444. BARONESS FOOKES: What will it
look like, Mr Berryman, when it is finished?
(Mr Berryman) You will not know it is there, my Lady. The
only thing you will see is there is an iron railing along Bayswater
Road and what will happen is there will be a return around that
space that you can see there and a liftable grille over that staircase,
which you find you do have a standard key for liftable grilles,
and they will be able to lift it up and go down there.
11445. LORD BROOKE OF ALVERTHORPE: And
then build a tunnel through to the shaft.
(Mr Berryman) This will be a cut and cover
structure.
11446. MS LIEVEN: Just to be clear, the
idea is that the tunnel will be used by firemen coming in, it
is not intended to be an evacuation tunnel?
(Mr Berryman) No, it is not intended for
evacuation other than for persons with restricted mobility. In
the normal run of things this would just be for firemen to run
down the shaft and get to the site of the incident.
11447. BARONESS FOOKES: And above ground
where the shaft is?
(Mr Berryman) Nothing, my Lady. It will
be restored back to its present state.
11448. CHAIRMAN: It is under the road,
is it not?
(Mr Berryman) It is partly under the road,
my Lord, but there is also a sand track called North Ride down
here which, depending on the exact location, it might be slightly
under there (Indicating). We can fiddle about with this location
to minimise the number of trees that we take.
11449. BARONESS FOOKES: What number of
trees are you contemplating taking?
(Mr Berryman) I think it is about six
at the moment, but only one of them is a big one.
11450. Are you going to put six back?
(Mr Berryman) Yes, my Lady, we are going
to put back the number we fell.
11451. MS LIEVEN: I think, Mr Berryman,
in your enthusiasm, my understanding was it was 14.
(Mr Berryman) It was 14 previously, Ms
Lieven.
11452. LORD BROOKE OF ALVERTHORPE: It
is only six now instead of fourteen?
11453. LORD YOUNG OF NORWOOD GREEN: Whatever
it is, you are going to replace them?
(Mr Berryman) Whatever it is, we will
replace them and strive to make the number the minimum we possibly
can.
11454. MS LIEVEN: Thank you very much,
Mr Berryman, if you stay there.
11455. CHAIRMAN: Mr Walton, do you want
to ask any questions?
11456. MR WALTON: Yes, I do.
11457. CHAIRMAN: Please, this is your
opportunity. I want to get as much of this cleared as we possibly
can. You see the way in which it is going and there is plenty
of room for agreement. Would you like to put any concerns you
have left to Mr Berryman.
Cross-examined by MR
WALTON
11458. MR WALTON: I think I have just
one question. May I say in response to your question that we are
very happy with the way things are going. We had seen the email
from Crossrail to Graham King and we accept that the possible
restructuring, as necessary, of the liaison group will be decided
at the next meeting and let us work with what we have got. I think
I have only one question to Mr Berryman which is on the matter
which has already been raised in the Committee. It is a question
of bringing design issues to the liaison committee at the appropriate
time. Presumably, Mr Berryman, it is Crossrail who will judge
what the appropriate time is.
(Mr Berryman) I think it would be, yes.
I think that is really the only way we can do it.
11459. Would you have any discussions, since
you have a favourable relationship with Westminster City Council,
about what the appropriate time should be?
(Mr Berryman) I think you should be aware,
and you probably are already aware, that we have extensive pre-application
discussions with Westminster. Those discussions are very much
an ongoing process which will go on right from now until the actual
application is submitted. It is the normal way that planning applications
are made, and we will be following that approach as far as possible.
We will be in regular dialogue with Westminster. I personally
have a meeting with Mr King every month to discuss matters of
issue, and important issues; they are simply working very well.
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