Option Assessment Report (Public Transport Interim List)
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Gallions Reach and Belvedere River Crossings Option Assessment Report (Public Transport Interim List) Date: November 2015 Version: Final 2 CONTENTS Executive summary ............................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction .................................................................................................. 8 Context ............................................................................................................................. 8 Scope of this report ........................................................................................................... 9 Project objectives .............................................................................................................. 9 Structure .......................................................................................................................... 11 2. Option shortlisting process ............................................................................ 12 Overview of option sifting ................................................................................................ 12 Location .......................................................................................................................... 12 Highway options .............................................................................................................. 13 Active travel .................................................................................................................... 14 Interim list of public transport options ............................................................................. 15 Public transport assessment tools ................................................................................... 16 3. Reference case ............................................................................................. 21 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 21 Population growth ........................................................................................................... 24 Employment growth ........................................................................................................ 25 2031 Reference Case ....................................................................................................... 26 Public transport accessibility - 2031 ................................................................................ 27 Access to jobs and labour - 2031 ..................................................................................... 28 4. Indicative cross-river bus network ................................................................... 33 5. Rail-based public transport options .................................................................. 38 DLR 1 ............................................................................................................................... 38 Tram 1 ............................................................................................................................. 43 DLR 2 ............................................................................................................................... 48 LO 2 ................................................................................................................................ 53 DLR 3 ............................................................................................................................... 57 Tram 2d ........................................................................................................................... 62 Tram 3 ............................................................................................................................. 67 LO 3 ................................................................................................................................ 71 TT 1 ................................................................................................................................. 75 DLR 6 ............................................................................................................................... 79 6. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 90 Appendix A: Strategic Assessment Framework outputs ............................................. 93 3 Executive summary Context 1. Transport for London (TfL) is proposing a series of river crossings that seeks to improve the ability of people and goods to cross the River Thames in London. Its focus is on the continued enhancement of the transport network, both in response to the enormous changes which have taken place in London over the last two to three decades, and as a means of supporting the significant further growth that is forecast. 2. The project objectives for river crossings east of the proposed Silvertown Tunnel are: To support population and employment growth; To improve cross-river connectivity; and To improve the resilience of cross-river transport links. 3. Two key locations, Gallions Reach and Belvedere, have been identified as the preferred locations for potential highway or multi-modal crossings along the River Thames between the proposed Silvertown Tunnel and the Dartford Crossing. 4. This report centres on the potential for public transport links to be incorporated into a crossing design, and assesses the relative strengths and weaknesses of different public transport options, including bus, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), tram and London Overground. Highway options 5. The development and appraisal of options is an iterative process, and the initial appraisal of highway options was previously reported in the ‘Option Assessment Report (Long List)’. 6. There are two different types of infrastructure that have been considered for the short list of highway crossing options: High-level bridge; and Immersed tunnel. 7. The fixed infrastructure options are all assumed to be two lanes in each direction - one for general traffic and one for public transport. 8. TfL will seek to incorporate pedestrian and cycling facilities into any new crossing east of the proposed Silvertown Tunnel so long as they can be accommodated in a manner that guarantees the safety and security of users, at a reasonable cost. 4 Public transport option shortlisting 9. Consideration has also been given to the nature and scale of potential cross-river public transport in the Study Area. A long list of 32 options has been considered in the ‘Option Assessment Report (Long List)’, making use of either the Gallions Reach or Belvedere crossing, or both. Further options requiring a separate tunnel linking Barking Riverside and Thamesmead have also been considered for comparison. The report concluded by proposing an interim list of public transport options, given the number of variations under consideration. 10. The role of this report is to summarise the second phase of the option sifting process, which focuses on reducing the public transport options from an interim list to generate a short list. 11. The short list of options will then be considered in more detail including seeking public and stakeholder feedback on these ideas, further modelling, engineering and environmental assessments, and appraisal of economic and financial benefits. 12. Figure ES.1.1 presents a summary of the option sifting process. Figure ES.1.1: Overview of option sifting process Highway Active travel Public transport Highway long Active travel Public transport list long list long list Engineering SAF feasibility SAF and Engineering Active travel Public transport feasibility interim list interim list Connectivity analysis Highway short Public transport list short list Short list of multi-modal packages 5 Public transport short list 13. Table ES 1 presents a short list of four public transport options and the rationale for inclusion of these options for further analysis. These include an indicative cross-river bus network, two DLR options (DLR 1 and 3) and a Tram linking Barking with Abbey Wood and Woolwich (Tram 2d). Table ES 1: Public transport short list Estimated Estimates Estimated capital capital net Option Description cost - cost - operating Key rationale for inclusion bridge tunnel cost (£m)* (£m)* (£m/year) This option should be shortlisted, given the connectivity improvements Indicative Package of for a very low capital cost, cross-river bus network assuming new road n/a n/a £20-35m bus service crossings are built. Specific network changes service patterns and routes would be subject to definition closer to the point of opening. DLR 1 performs well in DLR terms of potential extension development impacts at a from relatively modest cost. £225- £325- DLR 1 Gallions £4-7m This option could also 250m 325m Reach allow for further station to extensions beyond Thamesmead Thamesmead and Gallions Reach station in the future. Tram 2d performs well in terms of connectivity and should be taken forward for comparison of alternative Barking to Tram from Abbey Wood options. Barking to The Thamesmead to Abbey Wood £425- £425- Tram 2d £20-25m Woolwich section of this and 475m 450m option could potentially be Woolwich via constructed in advance of Thamesmead the river crossing to provide a relatively low cost light rail link from Thamesmead to Crossrail and to Woolwich town centre. 6 In spite of the potentially significant delivery challenges relating to the DLR interchanges at Abbey