Kensington & Chelsea: "Supporting Kensal Crossrail"

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"The Council is campaigning for a Crossrail station to be built in North Kensington. The case for a new station is strong, and the Council has committed to underwrite the £33m construction costs.

"The station is backed by businesses and trade associations, housing associations, residents' groups, and community organisations. Supporters include Kensington and Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, National Grid, Portobello Antiques Dealers' Association, Cath Kidston and Sainsbury's.

"There is also cross-party support for the plans with MPs Karen Buck, Sarah Teather, Matthew Hancock and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, and London Assembly member Jenny Jones, all behind a new station. London Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse described the case for the station as 'overwhelming' and asked the following question to the Mayor of London:

"Given that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is now willing to underwrite the entire cost, what objection does the Mayor believe could there possibly be to building a Crossrail station at Kensal Green?"

"You can watch a video of the Mayor’s response and the subsequent discussion during the debate at City Hall from 2h05m38s.

"You can also link to read two reports by economic analysts Regeneris. The first shows that Kensal in North Kensington has a stronger case for a Crossrail station than any other location outside east London. The second estimates that a station could be worth £690 million to the local economy, and could create 2,000 jobs."

Evening Standard: "Crossrail station in Portobello ‘would bring £700m into area’"

Link to web site

"The campaign for a new 'Portobello Central' Crossrail station has been boosted by a report which says it would inject almost £700 million into the local economy, and create 2,000 jobs.

"A station would also improve access to the Portobello and Golborne Road markets, and to schools and training in the North Kensington area, according to analysts Regeneris."

Evening Standard: " New airport is better idea than high-speed rail, says Boris aide"

Link to web site

"Boris Johnson's aviation adviser claims there is a better business case for building a Thames Estuary airport than for the High Speed 2 rail line.

"Speaking at the Standard’s aviation debate, Daniel Moylan said an island airport in the South-East would be part-funded by the private sector.

"He said £25 billion of public money would be needed for the project, but argued that if the Government was willing to spend £32 billion on HS2 it should be willing to finance a new airport."

The Independent: "Heathrow set for big increase in capacity"

Link to web site

"Heathrow's capacity problems could be solved without the need for a new runway, as strict rules on take-offs and landings are eased from next month.

"The 'silver bullet' solution to the airport's congestion crisis could unlock up to 25 per cent more slots with no extra building. Introducing so-called 'mixed mode' flying – under which runways are used for both take-offs and landings at the same time – could allow 120,000 extra aircraft movements each year at Europe's busiest airport."

Crossrail's Tottenham Court Road Western Ticket Hall

Link to Crossrail web site

Andy Mitchell, Crossrail Programme Director said:

 “Crossrail’s station at Tottenham Court Road will transform access to the West End while also acting as a catalyst for the major development and regeneration of the local area. Twenty-four trains an hour in each direction will pass through the station during peak periods, hugely enhancing the capacity at one of central London’s busiest stations.”

Crossrail's second TBM Ada moved to Royal Oak Portal, June 2012

News of upgrade to A40 Western Avenue

LB of Kensington & Chelsea: "Issues and Options Paper for Kensal"

Link to PDF file

Kensal Gasworks Strategic Site - Issues and Options Consultation

An Issues and Options consultation containing our early thoughts on the possible development opportunities for the Kensal Gasworks Strategic Site has been issued for public consultation. 

This paper looks at three options for the sort place that might be created in Kensal in the future. These are only indicative of the kind of development that might come forward but looks at the possible number of new homes and jobs and the facilities that could be provided on the site.

The Consultation period is between Tuesday 12 June 2012 and Tuesday 24 July 2012. The paper is available for comment below, together with the Regeneris reports into the possible regeneration and economic benefits that would be realised through a Crossrail station in North Kensington.

• Issues and Options Paper  
• Addendum Report [PDF] (file size 3.41Mb) of the Crossrail Regeneration Strategic Prospectus to include a station in North Kensington (Regeneris Consulting 2012)
• Economic Impact Assessment [PDF] (3.09Mb) of a Station in North Kensington (Regeneris Consulting 2012)

For more on the Council’s case for Crossrail and information about how you can lend your support, please visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/crossrail.

A Sustainability Appraisal (SEA/SA) was prepared for the Core Strategy in October 2009. The Kensal Strategic Site was appraised in this report which is available here:

•  Sustainability Appraisal  [PDF] (file size 2.75Mb)

Source

BBC iPlayer: Building the Victoria Line (1969)

Evening Standard: "Heathrow to the City in 35 minutes? Anything IS possible, says chief of Hong Kong, the world's best airport"

Link to Evening Standard

"It takes just 11 minutes to get from plane to terminal building exit after landing on the spectacular man-made island that is home to Hong Kong airport. The express train then whisks you to the financial district in 24 minutes.

"There are no glitches, no long walks and above all, no queuing. Regularly voted the world’s best, Chek Lap Kok is gleaming, modern and works like clockwork. Hong Kong residents travel there to shop in the boutiques and eat in its restaurants. Contrast that with Heathrow’s two-hour immigration queues, and creaking transport links to the capital."

Evening Standard: "Ministers to rethink HS2 track-share after Mayor warns of chaos on Overground"

HS1-to-HS2 track would be the bottom of these four through Camden
Link to Evening Standard

"Ministers have agreed to rethink plans for new high-speed trains to share tracks with commuter services in north London after Boris Johnson warned they would cause chaos on the Overground, it emerged today.

"Under the £33 billion HS2 project, trains were set to run from Birmingham to Europe by passing through a bottle-neck in Camden used by Overground services."

Daily Telegraph: "Buyers' remorse for California's 'bullet train to nowhere'"

Link to Daily Telegraph

"Ambitious plans for a fast track linking Los Angeles and San Francisco at speeds of up to 220mph in just over two-and-a-half hours were slimly approved by 53 per cent in a statewide ballot in 2008. That allowed the state to raise $10 billion from bonds and secured an injection of $3.5 billion in stimulus money from the Obama administration. There is currently no direct train route between the two.

"...  The project is still $54.9 billion short of what is needed, raising fears that the state will be unable to find the funds to finish later sections, and could be left with a futuristic rail line linking minor cities and farming communities."

BBC: "HS2 rail 'dither and delay' criticised by Lord Adonis"

Link to web site

"The HS2 rail scheme might not be ready before 2030, because of 'dither and delay' by ministers, former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said. The Labour peer added he feared the legislation needed for the project may not be passed within this parliament.

"The government said it was keeping to its published timetable for completing the necessary legislation. Transport minister Theresa Villiers said suggestions that the coalition was slowing down on HS2 were 'just not true'."