On 18th July 2017 the Crossrail 2 Local Engagement Manager of Transport for London answered a question as follows from Sir Paul Lever, a member of the Society’s Planning Committee:
“The updated business case that is currently with the Transport Secretary responds to National Infrastructure Commission recommendations to reduce the costs of the scheme by around £4 billion, and gives due consideration to their suggestion to remove the King’s Road station.”
“New proposals for the Crossrail 2 route will be published as part of the next consultation, which we are committed to launching as soon as possible following a decision by the Transport Secretary.”
Greg Hands MP communicated with the Managing Director of Crossrail 2 in July 2017 and now understands that a station on the King’s Road is NOT included in the updated business case.
The Chelsea Society calls upon the government to declare finally that there will be no station on the King’s Road and that the planning blight caused by the “safeguarding” of the route can now be removed.
On 24th July 2017 a joint statement by the Transport Secretary and the Mayor said “while London has shown how it could pay for half of the scheme over its life, the mayor and transport secretary want to see how London could fund half of the scheme during construction”.
The statement, which follows a meeting between Grayling and Khan on 18 July, said that the pair had “agreed a way forward in the coming months to examine ways to improve affordability while maximising the key benefits of the scheme, learning lessons from Crossrail 1, ahead of this autumn’s Budget”.
Grayling said that, following a “successful outcome being reached”, a fresh public consultation would gather views to improve the scheme and clarify the position around the safeguarded route”.
He said: “I am a supporter of Crossrail 2, but given its price tag we have to ensure that we get this right.
In June 2017 the Greater London Authority launched a consultation on plans to replace the existing mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy – set up to raise funds for Crossrail 1 – with a new levy, known as MCIL2.
The new charge, which the mayor wants in place by April 2019, is intended to meet 15% of Crossrail 2’s project costs – a huge £4.5 billion.
