Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 January 2015

Manchester City Council Report for Resolution

Report to: Executive - 21 January 2015

Subject: - Network Rail Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Capacity Scheme – Transport and Works Act Order Application

Report of: The Chief Executive

Purpose of Report

To enable the Council to make formal representations in relation to the proposed Network Rail (Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Capacity Scheme) Order that has now been submitted to the Secretary of State for his consideration under the terms of the Transport and Works Act 1992.

Recommendations

That following the submission of the Draft Order by Network Rail the Executive: a. reiterates the Council’s strong support for the proposal to deliver the next phase of the Northern Hub; b. asks officers to make the necessary representations to ensure that the proposals that are finally delivered are of the highest design standard and fully support the wider regeneration activity in the areas surrounding the two stations; c. delegates authority to the Head of Planning to negotiate a set of planning conditions with Network Rail so that these can be considered formally at a forthcoming public inquiry; and d. authorises the Chief Executive to take any necessary action to support the Council’s agreed position in relation to the scheme and to finalise the Council's formal response to the current order application in consultation with the Chair of the Executive.

Wards Affected: City Centre

Community Strategy Spine Summary of the contribution to the strategy

Performance of the economy of The Northern Hub will improve connectivity the region and sub region across the north of England. As such it is forecast to bring economic benefits to the city, and the UK as a whole.

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Reaching full potential in The development will create direct employment education and employment opportunities and drive further indirect jobs growth.

Individual and collective self Additional opportunities are forecast to arise as esteem – mutual respect a result of the scheme across the city region that will be of benefit to city residents.

Neighbourhoods of Choice The changes to Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Stations will enhance the connectivity of the city improving its accessibility. The Council will wish to ensure that the design and construction of the scheme minimises local impacts and that the impact on the city’s heritage assets is also minimised.

Full details are in the body of the report, along with any implications for:

• Equal Opportunities Policy • Risk Management • Legal Considerations

Financial Consequences – Revenue

None

Financial Consequences – Capital

None

Contact Officers:

Richard Elliott Dave Roscoe Policy & Strategy Manager City Centre Development Manager 0161-219-6494 0161-234-4567 [email protected] [email protected]

Ian Graham Pat Bartoli Principal Policy Officer (Transport) Head of City Centre Regeneration 0161-234-1166 0161-234-3329 [email protected] [email protected]

Background documents (available for public inspection):

The following documents disclose important facts on which the report is based and have been relied upon in preparing the report. Copies of the background documents

202 Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 January 2015 are available up to 4 years after the date of the meeting. If you would like a copy please contact one of the contact officers above.

Report to Executive on the Transport Strategy for Manchester City Centre (July 2010)

Report to Neighbourhood Scrutiny and Executive on the First Phase of Consultation on Network Rail’s proposals for the Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Capacity Scheme (September 2013)

Network Rail Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Capacity Scheme Consultation Documentation (September 2014)

Report to Neighbourhood Scrutiny and Executive on the Second Phase of Consultation on Network Rail’s proposals for the Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Capacity Scheme (October 2014)

The Proposed Network Rail (Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road Capacity Scheme) Order. (December 2014)

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1.0 BACKGROUND

1.1 Previous reports to the Executive have described proposals to significantly increase rail capacity in and around Central Manchester. These capacity increases, known collectively as the Northern Hub schemes, are vital to support the continued growth of the city’s and the wider region’s economy. The benefits of this total package are significant. It has been estimated that the total Northern Hub investment will translate to £4 billion of benefits to Manchester and the North of England. This would support an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 new jobs. The package has a very good benefit to cost ratio – Network Rail have estimated that it will boost the economy by £4 for every £1 spent. The Council has consistently lobbied for and expressed strong support for these proposals. The first phase of these planned improvements comprises a new rail chord providing a direct connection between Piccadilly and Victoria stations. This proposal is strongly supported by the Council. A public inquiry into these proposals was held in April 2014 and the Secretary of State’s decision as to whether to authorise the scheme is currently awaited.

1.2 Additional platforms at Manchester Piccadilly, longer platforms at Manchester Oxford Road and associated works to the two stations form the next planned phase of the Northern Hub package. The proposals have been the subject of two rounds of consultation, in September 2013 and October 2014. The Council has responded in detail to both phases of consultation.

1.3 A Transport and Works Act application has now been made to commence the formal approval process for the scheme. The Transport and Works Act Order application will, if necessary, be considered by a public inquiry in due course. The submitted scheme is in the same form as that which was subject to the recent consultation exercise and has not been amended in response to the comments that were made by the City Council at that time.

2.0 TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT APPLICATION

2.1 Network Rail’s proposals involve constructing two new through platforms at Manchester Piccadilly adjacent to platforms 13 &14, and extending platforms at Manchester Oxford Road, plus associated works to both stations to allow for an increase in the number of passenger and freight trains that can run through this critical rail corridor. Subject to the schemes receiving formal approval, it is intended that construction of the package of works would start in 2016 and be completed in 2018.

2.3 The Piccadilly and Oxford Road proposals remove a critical bottleneck from the Manchester rail network. In addition to the benefits outlined above they would enable more trains to run along the most congested corridor on the North West’s rail network. The requirement is to create sufficient capacity for 14 passenger train paths and 2 freight train paths per hour in each direction - an increase of 8 paths (33%), as compared to the current situation. The scheme would relieve this major bottleneck and cause of delay on the rail network in Manchester, and would deliver benefits for train services operating across the whole of the North of England.

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2.4 The Piccadilly scheme includes: • The construction of two new through platforms (15 and 16) on a large new viaduct structure parallel to the existing platforms 13 & 14. The new platforms would be located to the south of platforms 13 & 14 and accessed by extending the existing waiting area which is at the entrance to those platforms; • The two additional platforms would allow for an increase in the number of trains along the Castlefield Corridor therefore increasing capacity and speed; • The introduction of bi-directional signalling which would improve operation of the railway during periods of maintenance work or during incidents; • a newly designed concourse that will cater for the forecast increase in the number of passengers using the station; and • passive provision for a new southern entrance to the station.

2.5 The proposals for Oxford Road involve: • removal of platform 5 (a terminating platform) to allow platforms 1 – 4 to operate more effectively; • building a new footbridge to provide improved access to platforms 1-4; • introduction of bi-directional signalling to improve operation of the railway during maintenance work or during incidents; • provision of sufficient capacity for 14 passenger trains and 2 freight trains per hour to operate through the station; • providing an opportunity to run longer eight car trains; • implementation of a design that will cater for the forecast increase in the number of passengers using the station; and • a new station building.

2.6 As indicated above the Council has consistently offered its strong support for the principle of these proposals. When responding to the most recent consultation the opportunity was also though taken to raise a number of concerns and detailed representations were made regarding specific aspects of the scheme. Attached at appendices 1 and 2 are the Council’s formal response to the recent consultation and Network Rail’s response. London and Continental Railways (LCR), the majority owner of the adjacent Mayfield development share the concerns that the Council has expressed.

3.0 CONSULTATION TO DATE

3.1 The Council has been engaged in officer-level consultation with Network Rail for the last eighteen months. The project team has been liaising with officers and sharing high-level information on the emerging plans. This has enabled this consultation to include a high level proposal for each station that in principle responds to the emerging plans for the wider Piccadilly and Mayfield area and also delivers on the Council's priorities.

3.2 A working party was set up by Network Rail in December 2012 with the Council, English Heritage and Transport for Greater Manchester. Its purpose is to share information about the scheme as it develops and it is anticipated

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that it will continue to meet up to and beyond the public inquiry into the proposals.

3.3 Network Rail has also actively engaged with officers at the fortnightly City Centre Traffic Management meetings. These meetings have been set up to ensure the impacts of the current and future changes proposed in the city centre are minimised.

3.4 While it is disappointing that there has, as yet, not been any detailed engagement on some of the issues raised by the Council during the most recent consultation, Network Rail’s expressed intention to continue to work closely with the City Council as the proposals are further developed is obviously to be welcomed.

3.5 LCR and the Council, as joint partners in Mayfield, have made representations to Network Rail about the need for close working and engagement on the detailed design of the scheme at Piccadilly, given its impact on Mayfield. This has included an invitation to discuss how the new station entrance at Piccadiilly can be addressed as part of the Mayfield partnership and the development of the wider area, and delivered within the timescales of the rest of the scheme.

.3.6 An initial response from Network Rail has been received stating the following:

“Network Rail (is) commited to work with stakeholders and yourselves with respects to the successful development and implementation of the Northern Hub railway infrastructure programme.

In particular, NR reaffirm that they will discuss the details of and issues of concern with the Northern Hub projects at Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations through the design period to interface and co-ordinate with neighbouring developments as appropriate’.

4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND WAY FORWARD

4.1 The submission of the Proposed Transport and Works Act Order to the Secretary of State by Network Rail marks the beginning of the formal approval process that will need to be concluded before the scheme can be constructed. Any representation or objection to the proposed scheme must be lodged with the Secretary of State by 12th February 2015.

4.2 In order to ensure that the Council is able to continue to play an active role in helping to refine the proposals and ensure that the best possible outcome is delivered, it is recommended that the Executive delegates to officers the task of finalising representations on the draft order, taking account of the previous representations that the Council has made and the policy position that the Council has adopted on these proposals.

5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations appear at the front of the report.

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209 Manchester City Council Appendix 2 - Item 9

Executive 21 January 2015

Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive Network Rail Manchester City Council Square One PO Box 523 4 Travis Street Town Hall Manchester Manchester M1 2NY M60 2LA Tel. 07786 338620

Your ref. IG/RME 1 December 2014 Our ref. NHE_127523-NR-000- OXR-COT-W-000018

Dear Sir

Re: Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road capacity scheme

Thank you for your letter dated 20 November 2014 which provides the formal response from Manchester City Council on the proposals for the above scheme. Network Rail values the City Council’s feedback and it has been considered by the project team. We respond to the issues raised in your letter, as well as those submitted by your colleague Pat Bartoli on 3 October 2014.

Design As you are aware, Network Rail appointed an award winning Manchester based architectural practice, BDP, as part of its project team who are well versed in railway projects and designing improvements to rail infrastructure. This work includes 15 Network Rail stations amongst which are the city gateways at Manchester Piccadilly, Chester, Swansea, Nottingham and the soon to be completed redevelopment of Manchester Victoria. Their design input to the Piccadilly and Oxford Road scheme has been informed with full knowledge that a series of four listed building applications is to be made along with the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application.

Whilst during this latest consultation exercise we did not consult specifically on a Design and Access Statement, a Heritage Assessment, and a Planning Statement, there will be opportunity to comment on these documents when the TWAO application is submitted. These documents set out how Network Rail considers this important regional gateway as a key interchange within our Major Stations portfolio; we want to ensure that the environment created is consistent with the identity, scale and heritage of the existing buildings.

Network Rail understands the importance of the Mayfield development to Manchester City Council (MCC) and for this reason we have engaged extensively with MCC, London & Continental Railways Limited (LCR) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) through the working party and principles meetings. Network Rail will take the necessary steps to mitigate the scheme impacts on the future Mayfield development. We believe that we have already demonstrated our commitment and intent through the work undertaken to the design

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of the sub station in partnership with MCC & LCR to realise benefits for the future redevelopment of this locality. Network Rail will continue to work closely with the City Council over the next five to ten years as the Mayfield scheme is developed to maximise the benefits resulting from our scheme.

We outline below our position on the City Council’s key concerns.

New station entrances at Piccadilly and Oxford Road Stations Network Rail supports the aspiration for additional entrances at both Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations. However, at present, Network Rail is not funded or remitted by the Department for Transport to deliver the additional station entrances, and as the Transport and Works Act Order application is concerned with the proposed scheme only, unfortunately the additional station entrances cannot be included in the same application unless funding for them is available and confirmed. Network Rail recognises the importance of additional entrances to the future development of the areas surrounding the two stations, and we are confident that our proposed scheme details will permit such provision in the future, should funding become available. We have ensured that for Piccadilly, the application documents make clear that we have designed the proposed satellite lounge extension with passive provision for a future entrance.

The Core Values document, referred to in the City Council’s response on 3 October 2014 but submitted as part of LCR’s feedback, states that:

‘The Northern Hub proposals should incorporate passive provision for a south entrance.’……

We therefore feel we have accommodated this provision in line with our previous discussions.

With regard to an additional southern entrance at Piccadilly, as well as our reason in principle, explained above, for not including one in this TWAO application, our comments on the City Council’s suggested alternative design for a southern entrance are as follows:

 It would produce a sequence of spaces for station users (using the footbridge and platforms) that would not reach the aspirations previously defined by Network Rail, and other stakeholders, as being appropriate for this station;

 In our opinion it fails to provide an appropriate counterpart to the grade-II listed buildings, as its planar form would sit uncomfortably with the language of the existing structures of the station;

 The architect’s proposal would lead to a reduction in quality and scale of footbridge and platform environments in order to augment the spaces below for the proposed station entrance, resulting in an imbalance between the character of spaces for station users – noting that the majority of passengers will not be using the new entrance, and hence their impressions will be formed entirely by the upper levels. We have other stakeholders to consider – for example, the alternative design proposals omit any retail facilities: this is not acceptable to us.

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 Other technical problems are evident, for example in drawing 57A it proposes ‘Simplified arrangement of platform canopy, acoustic screen and OLE supports’, but there is no accompanying technical evidence about what this means. Without this evidence there is no certainty that this proposal will satisfy our design standards on, for example, electrical safety or train driver signal sighting.

Moreover, as we think we demonstrated in our presentation to Council officers, Pat Bartoli and Dave Roscoe on 7 November 2014, our canopy proposals have evolved via consideration of various issues, such that they now meet appropriate railway safety standards, passenger comfort aspirations and provide a high design quality.

Oxford Road station We can confirm that all accesses and platforms at Oxford Road station are accessible and DDA compliant. Three new lifts are proposed as part of the new footbridge and they will allow access to all four platforms.

Deansgate Station The works at Deansgate station will involve elevation of the existing tracks and minor gauging works with a consequent small platform uplift. There are no other works planned at Deansgate station.

Public realm and connectivity Network Rail has instructed its design team to review the layout of the piers under the Piccadilly station satellite lounge extension/viaduct. If the outcome of the review supports the removal of a pier, we will incorporate that change going forward as a commitment to MCC and LCR. The review is unlikely to conclude before the TWAO application is due for submission. Therefore we propose to submit the current design detail and will revise this by amendment if the review is favourable. Regarding the areas to the south of Whitworth Street West around First Street, we shared with your colleagues the visualisations (CGIs) which show the interface between the proposed new railway layout and the new development at the meeting on Friday 7 November as part of BDP’s presentation.

Links with HS2 investment We note and agree with the City Council’s comments regarding links with HS2 investment.

Environmental Health Considerations Network Rail will engage with the EHOs at the Council and the local community throughout the life of the scheme. As with Ordsall Chord, this scheme will be subject to a Code of Construction Practice to be submitted and approved by the City Council.

Public Health As referred to above regarding Environmental Health considerations, aspects related to public health will be addressed in the Code of Construction Practice.

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Works compounds Due to the City Council’s opposition to our use of the Little Peter Street site as a compound, and during informal consultation with officers, Network Rail agreed that it would consider using the alternative compound referred to in the letter of 3 October 2014 and it is referred to as option D2 in the consultation pack (the former Salvation Army site). We can confirm that this is our preferred option; the Little Peter Street site will not be included in the application. At our meeting on 7 November 2014, Dave Roscoe confirmed that Renaker’s current use of the site is temporary and that the site will be available for Network Rail to use if the TWAO application is approved.

Highways Network Rail will continue to engage regularly with the Highways Working Group and the fortnightly Traffic Management meeting. Dialogue will also continue with Kim Dorrington. A construction management plan will be developed as part of the scheme, as it has been with the Ordsall Chord scheme.

A plan for the taxi waiting area has been agreed by officers at the City Council and with the station manager at Piccadilly Station. The proposed configuration of the Fairfield Street and Travis Street junction is subject to further design and will be discussed with the City Council as it develops.

Regarding the space beneath the proposed arches, Network Rail will continue to liaise with the City Council and the proposals can be formally agreed by way of planning conditions (for lighting and landscaping).

Flood Risk Network Rail has and continues to consult with officers responsible for flood risk and also with the Environment Agency (EA). We no longer propose to build a permanent pier in the River Medlock to support the proposed new footbridge at Oxford Road station. The proposed temporary scaffolding in the river during the construction of the footbridge has been discussed with the EA.

Local businesses Network Rail will relocate any displaced business, wherever possible and practicable, which has had to end its occupation of arch premises within the existing estate. We have already commenced conversations with our arch tenants. We will email particulars of properties that we have available in our portfolio and also arrange viewings. If tenants are looking for alternative accommodation which is not within Network Rail ownership, we will give them details of local property agents.

If the tenancy is likely to be terminated to facilitate the works, and notice has been served to this effect, we would consider an early surrender or termination of the lease.

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Local residents Network Rail will continue to engage with residents and businesses impacted by the scheme. During consultation we have built up good relationships with residents, residents’ associations and local businesses and we will continue to build on this. During the construction works we will provide clear and concise information about the works in a timely manner. An external communications programme as part of the Code of Construction Practice will be submitted to and approved by MCC.

Ongoing development of design proposals In the same way that design proposals evolved at Victoria Station and now with Ordsall Chord at both pre-application and post-application stages, we look forward to continuing the dialogue with the City Council on the scheme details to the benefit of all key stakeholders.

We would like to thank you for your support of the proposed scheme and the constructive engagement to date.

Yours faithfully

Penny Carter Consultation Manager

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