Fears bosses will pull out of stop

10:25am Tuesday 19th October 2004

ABBEY WOOD: Councillor claims Crossrail cards are deliberately vague and worries the area could lose out

A LABOUR councillor says pre-paid cards sent to the borough's residents calling on them to lobby for a Crossrail stop in Woolwich are misleading.

Recipients of the cards from Greenwich Council are invited to tick three boxes including one showing support for the overall Crossrail proposals and another calling for a station at Woolwich.

But Abbey Wood councillor Ismail Danesi states the third choice on the card should read "I want to see a Crossrail station in Woolwich also" rather than "I want to see a Crossrail station in Woolwich".

He said: "The council has made it very vague in order to mislead the people taking part in this exercise. There is no mention of Abbey Wood."

Cllr Danesi says a station at Abbey Wood will be a "fantastic boost" to the area, but fears the council is using the cards to lead Crossrail bosses into believing residents would prefer the stop to be at Woolwich.

Greenwich Council denies there is any confusion. A spokesman said: "The route has been established by Crossrail. There's no question of them not putting a stop at Abbey Wood. What the council is campaigning for is an extra stop at Woolwich."

The £10bn rail project, linking Heathrow Airport and the Isle of Dogs, will see trains crossing the Thames at Woolwich without stopping and then joining the north Kent line at Abbey Wood.

Crossrail spokesman Jeremy Desouza says Abbey Wood is "definitely" on the route.

He added: "If enough people demand a station at Woolwich then it's something we will have to look at again. But people need be in no concern that ticking the boxes means we will pull out of Abbey Wood."

Council Leader, Councillor Chris Roberts has written to News Shopper stating a stop at Woolwich would provide easy links to the city and Docklands and improve job opportunities.

Send your views to Crossrail, FREEPOST NAT 6945, London SW1 0BR or email helpdesk@crossrail .co.uk by October 27.