Crossrail 2 Public Meeting – Wednesday 25th May
Last week I held a well-attended public meeting on Crossrail 2, and I would like to thank all the residents who came along and engaged in our discussion. A huge thanks to Kemi Badenoch AM and Wandsworth Council Leader Ravi Govindia for helping answer questions and giving more information about Crossrail 2 from the London Assembly and Wandsworth Council’s perspectives. Also to Simon Cawte, who works at the Battersea Power Station development, who gave us his insights into regeneration.
Below is a summary note from the public meeting, which I have split into several sections.
Background and update on Crossrail 2
I set out the work I have done with the community to help get Crossrail 2 on track for Tooting. When the initial route was revealed in winter 2014/15, we successfully protected Wandsworth Common and Trinity Fields from Crossrail 2 access shafts. Then in late 2015 when TfL preferred that Crossrail 2 to go to Balham instead of Tooting Broadway, I set up a huge survey of residents to find out what they thought, with a large majority preferring Tooting, and fed this into the official consultation. This led to TfL keeping Crossrail 2 at Tooting Broadway on the table, for a further round of studies and a consultation later in 2016.
Many very important issues were raised over the meeting. There was a feeling that the last consultation was flawed. Some thought TfL did not do enough to advertise it, especially with it closing just after the Christmas holidays. I agree this was not ideal, and I will do all I can to promote the next consultation.
There was also a feeling that not enough information was given by TfL at the last consultation, making it hard for residents to respond fully. There are many outstanding issues and questions about bringing Crossrail 2 to Tooting, from the major question of where it will be to more localised questions about what land will be needed and how construction will be phased. I have pressed TfL for more clarity, and hope we will see it when they provide their next update.
Decision-Making Process
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative London Assembly Member, sits on the Transport Committee and explained that her role is to scrutinise Crossrail 2 and Transport for London’s proposal for it. As an Assembly Member, she is able to table questions to TfL and report back to residents, so she will play a very active role in updating and communicating with local residents.
She also explained that Parliament will have the ultimate say on whether the project goes ahead and what the route is, not least because the Department of Transport is very likely to have to provide funding towards the cost of the railway. Therefore we need a strong MP for Tooting who understand the detail of Crossrail 2 and the local impact, so that residents views are fed into the decision making process and the project is implemented in a way that works for local residents.
Thus far the Chancellor has provided all the funding needed for the planning stages, and the full Crossrail 2 legislation, with a complete proposal, is likely to pass through Westminster in the next couple of years.
Regeneration
Simon Cawte explained how it was new transportation – ie the Northern line extension to Battersea – that unlocked the potential to build new housing at Nine Elms and thus finally kick-started the commissioning of this huge regeneration project. Their modelling has shown that the volume of housing possible in the local area, once the new Northern line stations are open, is double what it originally was. This could have parallels for Tooting.
The regeneration at Battersea has included new construction jobs and apprenticeships from the build phase, and will include ongoing jobs from the new commercial/office space included as part of the project. Tooting does not have a huge volume of commercial space (beyond retail units) and this may be an opportunity for our area as part of Crossrail 2 coming here.
Other Routes
Alternative routes have been proposed for stations in Streatham and in Earlsfield. These are not TfL’s main focus at the moment but everyone agrees that TfL should consider all options and their underlying analysis and modelling should be made public for the further consultation later this year. Freedom of Information Requests could be used if necessary but we hope TfL will want to voluntarily share all information they have.
The knock on effects on Crossrail 2 on Earlsfield were also raised. At present, plans would mean there are fewer trains on the South West network to Waterloo, which will impact Earlsfield. I explained that I met with the Managing Director of South West Trains in April and raised this issue with him. He said that thought had been put to this issue, with the potential for South West Trains to run new services from Raynes Park to Waterloo, calling at Earlsfield. These would be relatively empty when they arrived at Earlsfield and ensure that commuters there don't see the return of extremely congested carriages.
Impact on Town Centre
Finally, there was a lot of concern about the impact of Crossrail 2’s construction on our local shops and high streets. Many local businesses are family run, and do not make a large amount of profit, so any reduction in footfall could be serious to their finances. We need to see more information from Crossrail 2 about phasing and if they can provide any support for businesses, but something I would press for is looking into whether business rates can be temporarily reduced to help.
Additionally, I will seek to set up a business forum for local businesses in the chosen town centre, where traders and landlords come together to discuss the impact and see whether rents can be reduced for a temporary period to ensure our excellent independent shops survive the period of disruption.
Conclusion
Crossrail 2 provides a fantastic opportunity for Tooting, to help our commuters have a better journey to and from work, to provide better access for staff and patients at St Georges and to regenerate and invest in the local area. But it has to work for Tooting residents and businesses, and if elected as your MP on the 16th June this is what I will fight for. The final decision on Crossrail 2 will be made in Parliament, and I want to be your strong local voice standing up for Tooting.