Council’s bid to extend Crossrail

9:17am Thursday 29th May 2008

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IN ITS bid to have the Crossrail project extended through Bexley, council officers have been putting their case before a House of Lords committee.

Bexley wants to amend the Crossrail Bill currently making its way through Parliament so the principle of extending it via Bexley to Ebbsfleet in Kent can be considered without a protracted investigation at a public inquiry.

Bexley argues the economic benefits of extending the project to Ebbsfleet, such as the creation of new jobs, new job opportunities, access to public transport and general regeneration, outweigh the extra cost.

The original plan was to run the new train link from Maidenhead via Heathrow and central London to Ebbsfleet.

The project has now been cut and will end at Abbey Wood, because of operational difficulties on the North Kent line which could disrupt Crossrail services.

These could now be overcome by widening the railway track between Abbey Wood and Ebbsfleet, but this would cost around £500m.

Chris Donovan, Bexley's assistant director of environment and regeneration services, gave evidence to the select committee on Bexley's position.

An extension of the route would mean Crossrail would run through Belvedere, Erith and Slade Green stations in Bexley and then onto Kent.

Mr Donovan said the decision to terminate Crossrail at Abbey Wood would undermine the aims of the Thames Gateway.

He said it would be easy to get trains to Abbey Wood to access new jobs in the Thames Gateway, but much more difficult to get a connecting train from Abbey Wood to jobs in Bexley and north Kent.

Mr Donovan said Bexley still had a "fair amount" of employment land available in north Bexley and Crossrail would help open those jobs up to people living in the Thames Gateway.

Estimates show Belvedere could attract nearly 10,500 new jobs and many of these could go to long-term unemployed people in the area.

Mr Donovan pointed out north Bexley already has significantly less access to public transport than other areas of London and north Kent.

Bexley's case is being backed by both Dartford and Gravesham councils and Kent County Council.