East-West London transport link Crossrail should go to the Royal Docks, according to a group of influential property developers.
The Royal Docks Crossrail Group, which includes Development Securities, Silvertown Quays, Excel and London City Airport, has said that the Royal Docks route would result in more benefits than alternative plans for a cross-London train link to Charlton.
Crossrail Impact Assessment: Royal Docks report, published this week by consultants GLE /Hunt Dobson on behalf of the group, states that routing Crossrail through the docks would result in “the likely creation of 31,500 extra jobs”, while the Charlton route would create only 3,100.
The report says: “Putting Crossrail through the Royals would improve access to two of Thames Gateway Partnership’s preferred Zones of Change, enhancing their capacity to provide the higher density development that London requires by offering the possibility of interchange between the proposed DLR eastern extension and Crossrail which will thus provide rapid and convenient connections for these areas as well as the Royal Docks to Canary Wharf, the City, West End and Heathrow. The route through Charlton will not offer such benefits.”
Lord King of Bridgewater, chairman of the Royal Docks Crossrail Group, claims that a link to Charlton will also “produce significantly more job opportunities in the immediate vicinity” and “bring major benefits to the boroughs of Newham, Barking & Dagenham and Tower Hamlets”.
Only by choosing this option will Crossrail properly support the regeneration proposals of the Mayors Spatial Development Strategy, King warns.
A second report by Hyder Consulting, jointly commissioned by the London Development Agency, states that the Charlton route would also be significantly cheaper.
While a route through the Royals would cost between £600m and £700m, a route through Charlton would cost around £300m.
The group argues the regeneration benefits vastly outweigh the costs of the scheme.
EGi News 29/08/02
