Crossrail line 1: Stakeholder Consultation May 2002 1 Foreword 2 Consultation 3 The Crossrail Project Transport needs How can Crossrail help? Crossrail as part of an Integrated Rail Network Contents The Case for Crossrail 6 The Current Position The Core Route Broad Corridors Considered in the Preliminary Sifting Process The Sifting Process Corridor Selection The Short List 14 The Short Listed Corridors Corridor 1: The Watford Junction Line Corridor 2: The Aylesbury Line Corridor 3: The Great Western Main Line Corridor 4: The Great Eastern Main Line Corridor 5a: The North Kent Line via the Royal Docks Corridor 5b: The North Kent Line via Charlton 20 The Way Forward Refining the Short List Option Assessment The Final Selection Process 24 We need your views 1 Efficient, direct rail links are essential waiting for final approval. These schemes the optimum route, stations and service to safeguard and promote the long-term will mean that London will be well served patterns. There are choices to be made economic prosperity of London and the from north to south. Crossrail line 1 is now on the routes to be followed in both east South East. Cross London Rail Links Limited being developed to supplement the heavily and west London and on how far services (Crossrail) is a new company established to overcrowded east-west services. Together should run along each corridor. develop and promote these links to meet the with Crossrail line 2 it would increase the needs of people and businesses. It is a capacity of the existing network making an We recognise that it is important to involve 50/50 joint venture between Transport for important contribution to congestion relief. local authorities and other key stakeholders Foreword London (TfL) and the Strategic Rail Authority at the earliest opportunity. We also welcome (SRA). The company aims to ensure that Both lines would also provide new links and their support in building the transport and London continues in its role as Europe’s additional capacity to support economic wider economic case for the project. leading financial and business centre, and development and boost regeneration areas. We have therefore prepared this document to provide benefits to the wider South East In particular Crossrail line 1 would underpin to explain the shortlisted route corridors for region. It is tasked to develop two new the growth of London’s key financial and Crossrail line 1, and to seek stakeholders’ railway lines across Central London. business service sector. input to selection of the preferred scheme in Crossrail line 1 would run on an east-west Autumn 2002 for wider public consultation. axis and is to be planned and taken forward Crossrail aims to introduce schemes that We welcome your comments. to implementation, Crossrail line 2 would are feasible, practical and likely to achieve run northeast-southwest across the city and private sector partner funding. The company is to be planned in principle. Consultation has been allocated a budget of £154m by on Crossrail line 2 will be undertaken around Central Government (through the SRA and the end of this year. TfL) to carry out feasibility work on both lines and secure the statutory approvals TfL and the SRA aim to provide a fully needed to build line 1. This represents integrated and comprehensive rail network significant investment by Central for London and its surrounding areas. Government in the development of new Included are major projects to expand the rail infrastructure for London. If the projects capacity of the current system. The Mayor’s are to proceed however, they will need to Transport Strategy has highlighted Crossrail clearly demonstrate value for money, secure lines 1 and 2, Thameslink 2000 and the East private and public funding and obtain the London line extensions as priority projects necessary statutory planning approvals. to help achieve this aim. Preparatory works have begun on the northern extension Our first priority is line 1 (Crossrail 1). of the East London line, with consent now The overall objective of this project is also granted for the southern extension. to improve rail transport for London. The Thameslink 2000 upgrade is currently We are in the process of determining 2 Consultation will play an important role in The purpose of this document is to: It is intended that the preferred route for the decision process. Crossrail 1 will have Crossrail 1 will be selected in Autumn implications for a wide range of businesses, set out the agreed economic and 2002 after which there will be wider public residents and local communities in London planning objectives for the project; consultation. This will be followed in 2003 and the South-East. We have now identified by consultation with those directly affected a short-list of route corridors and are keen provide information on the process by the construction and operation of the to seek the views of key stakeholders and and timescale for decisions; railway (Figure 1). The views expressed local authorities. These views will be during the consultation process will then Consultation carefully considered in the route and service inform key stakeholders and local be carefully considered in the preparation selection process. They may also provide authorities on the corridors short-listed of an application for statutory consent support in making the case for Crossrail 1. for Crossrail 1; (possibly using a Hybrid Parliamentary Bill). seek views on which route should be adopted and what kind of services should run; and set out the criteria by which the final Figure 1 Consultation Process scheme will be judged. Stakeholder Stakeholder Public discussions consultation consultation Preliminary Shortlist of Full Preferred Decision Statutory appraisal proposals appraisal project on project approval January 2002 December 2002 3 Crossrail as part of an Transport needs Integrated Rail Network Large parts of London’s public transport The Strategy anticipates that the capacity Crossrail 1 would form part of a more system, in particular a number of key of London’s rail network will need to efficient and integrated network of rail Underground and National Rail lines, increase by around 50% over the next services for London. It is one of a package are running at capacity. Passenger 15 years to meet these needs. At the same of proposed railway schemes that would use of the Underground is at record time the Government’s Ten Year Plan has a work towards achieving this network of levels and passenger growth on the target to increase passenger usage of the services. These schemes include investment National Rail Network has also increased National Rail Network by 50%. The major in the London Underground and National significantly with steadily rising numbers rail projects are expected to make a Rail Networks and the major projects: The Crossrail Project of commuters into London. As a result significant contribution to both capacity Thameslink 2000, the northern and southern many rail and Underground services and usage increases. extensions of the East London line, and are seriously overcrowded. Crossrail line 2 as shown in figure 2. How can Crossrail 1 help? The provision of rail services is also uneven. Freight Some areas of London, particularly in the Extension of suburban services in tunnel, east, have relatively poor access by rail. into and across the central area, will Crossrail 1 cannot be considered in There are a number of major regeneration increase capacity and bring people isolation from the Government’s target initiatives to stimulate the provision of new directly into the centre without the need to increase rail freight. homes and jobs in these areas. for interchanges at National Rail termini. This is a similar principle to the Paris In the west Crossrail 1 could adversely London and the surrounding area are Réseau Express Régional (RER), affect freight (and possibly longer distance The main objectives of Cross also growing. Greater London Authority constructed over the past 25 years passenger) capacity on the Great Western London Rail Links are to forecasts suggest that the population to link suburban residential areas to corridor which may only be avoided by of London will grow from its current level and across the city centre. providing additional tracks. In the east there support the continuing of 7.4 million to over 8.1 million by 2016. would be interactions with freight services development of London as a It is anticipated that 600,000 new jobs Crossrail 1 would provide a new high in the Stratford area and on the North Kent World City, and its role as the will be created over a similar period. capacity east-west rail link across London line. As it will be highly desirable to separate The Thames Gateway, both within and serving Heathrow, the West End, the City Crossrail from freight and longer distance key financial centre of the UK outside the Greater London boundary and Docklands. This would create new services these issues will require attention and Europe, to support its is expected to see a major increase in both journey opportunities, increase capacity and during the development of the project. economic growth and its population and employment opportunities. reduce crowding on several Underground lines. It would also reduce the need for regeneration areas by tackling The Mayor’s Transport Strategy aims to interchanges with National Rail services the lack of capacity and develop the transport system to support the at Paddington and Liverpool Street stations. congestion on the existing future development of London. Central to the Strategy are the major projects that will network, and to improve rail develop new infrastructure to significantly access into and within London. expand the system. 4 The objectives for Crossrail have been Figure 2 Proposed major rail schemes for London agreed between the Minister,the Mayor and the Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority.