Crossrail 2 and Streatham briefing for Matt Yates

June 2014

The overall line on Streatham that we’ve used in the issues raised report is:

“Consideration of a station for Streatham was previously looked at as part of an earlier stage of option assessment prior to the consultation in the summer of 2013. The provision of a station in Streatham would require a significant detour from the proposed alignment that serves Wimbledon, Tooting and Clapham Junction.”

Various options serving Streatham were considered as part of the first tranche of Crossrail 2 options analysis, which took place in 2009/10, when around 100 options were assessed.

Options serving Streatham included: -

Option and which Streatham station Not pursued because? was served? Core – Clapham Junction, then Tulse Hill  Difficulty of siting tunnel portal. – Streatham to Sutton via Wimbledon  Interaction with other Southern Loop services (especially pathing of high frequency services)  No relief to Northern line  Inability to serve SWML corridor (Kingston) thus no release of paths to Waterloo Core – Clapham Junction – Southern  Difficulty of siting tunnel portal. Inner suburban network (including  Interaction with other Southern Wandsworth Common – Balham – services (especially pathing of high Streatham Common – Croydon etc. frequency services)  Inability to serve SWML corridor (Kingston) thus no release of paths to Waterloo Northern line extension to Streatham  Does not meet objectives of a was also considered as an alternative to Crossrail 2 scheme and has more Crossrail 2 limited benefits

Streatham was also considered as part of the 11 options, which were reviewed in 2010/11 and which led through the optimisation process to the selection of the current Metro and Regional options.

Two options serving Streatham were assessed in 2010/11, namely: options 10 and 12 (see Appendix 1 for maps).

Overall alignment of How would Why was this option not option Streatham have pursued through been served? optimisation? Option 10. Cross-London Alignment in south  Limited impact on LU automated metro - Radial London would crowding (overall LU Corridors: Croydon - A23 have been: crowding down by 0.5%, corridor – Core via West Victoria – Clapham against -7.6% for best End - Dalston – North – Brixton Hill option) A10 corridor - Enfield / – Streatham Hill -  High-level BCR 1.0:1 Cheshunt Streatham –  Limited wider NR impact, Norbury – Croydon given this was a single line, (West and East) entirely segregated from NR  Inability to serve SWML corridor (Kingston) thus no release of paths to Waterloo, where the future growth that NR forecast is greater Option 12. Cross-London Clapham Junction  Crowding and congestion regional Southern & Great – Balham (portal) – relief to NR lines is far less Northern & C2C: Sussex / branch A) from this option than option Brighton Mainline inners Streatham – 11 and today’s regional – Core via the City – Great Mitcham – Sutton option. This is mainly Northern Inners and C2C to – Epsom, branch because no/very few paths Grays B) Streatham Hill – into termini are released and Selhurst - West none of these are into Croydon – Sutton, Waterloo, the most branch C) Gypsy congested terminus Hill – Norwood Jct.  High-level BCR 1.3:1  Inability to adequately relieve the Northern line in South London (option 12 via Tooting Bdwy did this much better)  Inability to serve SWML corridor (Kingston) thus no release of paths to Waterloo, where the future growth that NR forecast is greater

As a result of our assessment against the Crossrail 2 scheme objectives (based on the MTS goals – see Appendix 2), the Regional option took the northern and southern branches of option 11 (WAML and SWML respectively), where the greatest opportunity exists to support growth and regeneration and tackle crowding and congestion, and combined them with the core of option 12, via the West End (incl. Euston). The metro option also follows the same alignment through central London and then on to Wimbledon, also with the aim of relieving the SWML insofar as it is able.

Instead of Crossrail 2, an extension of an existing Underground line may be a better option for Streatham. Previous work around 5 years ago has looked at this, but only in a pre-Crossrail 2 scenario, whereby, the Victoria line, for example, is too crowded to accommodate demand from an extension.

While there are currently no active proposals for such an extension to the Streatham area, when Crossrail 2 opens (currently planned for 2029), it could provide sufficient relief to other Underground lines, in particular the Victoria line, so as to allow for further consideration of a future Underground extension.

Appendix 1

Maps of options 10, 11 and 12, assessed during 2010/11.

Appendix 2 – Crossrail 2 scheme objectives

 To alleviate crowding: Crossrail 2 should alleviate crowding on the London transport network, especially on the London Underground Victoria, Piccadilly and Northern lines, and National Rail, thereby improving transport capacity and supporting London’s growth and economic prosperity;

 To improve termini dispersal: Crossrail 2 should assist in the effective dispersal of passengers arriving at the main National Rail termini in central London;

 To improve connectivity: Crossrail 2 is needed to improve connectivity in particular parts of London where access to the Underground and rail network is limited;

 To support economic growth and regeneration: Crossrail 2 must support local Opportunity Areas and Intensification Areas, as well as helping to improve access to employment for communities in London which suffer high levels of deprivation;

 To ensure value for money: any investment in a new line across London must demonstrate that it represents maximum value for money and that it also supports London’s economy through wider impacts;

 To improve transport quality: Crossrail 2 would be expected to improve transport quality, through providing new direct, less crowded journeys, with consequential reductions in overall journey times (especially where changes of trains or modes are no longer required);

 To reduce CO2 emissions: Crossrail 2 would need to reduce CO2 emissions through encouraging mode shift to more sustainable modes for some journeys.

Appendix 3 – Email from Chuka Umunna MP and TfL response.

Dear Mr Hendy,

Crossrail 2 & Transport in Streatham

I write in relation both to Crossrail 2 and to transport in the Streatham part of my constituency more generally.

As I have said publicly many times, it is my strong view that the Streatham part of my constituency is insufficiently served by local transport connections when compared to other areas. Given the obvious benefit there would be to the area I represent, I wish to reiterate my view that a Streatham Station be included within the scope of Crossrail 2.

Further to the consultation into Crossrail 2 which opened this week, I would be grateful if you could reply detailing answers to the following questions:

1. What research has been carried out as to the benefits of a station in Streatham being included in the route for Crossrail 2 and what consideration has thus far been given to including Streatham on the route? Will you ensure not only that consideration of a Streatham Station, which would clearly seem to benefit the area I represent, is taken forward, but that the decision making process in this regard treats and is seen to treat this proposition more seriously than the current consultation process seems to me to imply?

2. Given the historic lack of an underground link, the rejection of the possibility of increasing the frequency of Thameslink trains travelling through Streatham Station, and other concerns such as the lack of coverage locally of the Barclay’s Cycle Hire Scheme - all of which have cumulatively given rise to a view locally that Streatham is too low a priority for TfL and that the needs of the community are being ignored - what priority will you give to improving transport generally in the Streatham area and how will you guarantee this to the satisfaction of the people I represent?

3. Notwithstanding decisions taken by central government in relation to infrastructure spending, will you examine afresh the case for extending an existing London underground line to Streatham? Please also update me as to the latest efforts you are making in this regard.

4. What plans do you currently have regarding the extension of the Tramlink or the provision of new tram lines and will you provide me with your assessment as to the benefits of such to the Streatham as well as a detailed overview of the options in this regard?

5. What plans do you have currently, and what guarantees can you give, that whether or not a Streatham Station is included on the route, the Streatham area will benefit as much as possible from the Crossrail 2 project?

I look forward to receiving a response to these questions shortly.

Yours sincerely,

Chuka Umunna MP Member of Parliament for Streatham covering Streatham and parts of Clapham, Balham, Tulse Hill and Brixton