Crossrail congestion warning from Quarry Products Association

QPA warns government on Crossrail congestion

Traffic chaos and environmental damage likely unless aggregates are supplied by rail

The government has been urged to avoid traffic chaos and serious environmental damage as the unintended consequences of Crossrail.

The Quarry Products Association (QPA) used its presentation to the Crossrail Select Committee last week to warn of the impact of failing to secure the supply of aggregates by rail in and around London.

According to the QPA, the worst-case scenario created by the anticipated increase in rail traffic after Crossrail is built could see up to six million tonnes of aggregates – more than a third of the city’s current needs – being switched from the rail network to roads.

"This would create huge congestion problems for West London, the M4 and the M25, not to mention around the quarries themselves," warned QPA director of economic and business affairs Jerry McLaughlin. It would also result in a massive increase in CO₂ emissions, he said.

"Crossrail has concluded there will be no congestion problems on the west side of London, but this assumes ‘organic’ freight growth. With the development potential already identified in East London and the Thames Gateway, it’s entirely possible demand will be more than organic, yet Crossrail has not created a timetable to test this," McLaughlin added.

He said the problem would be exacerbated by the Bill’s current proposal to give Crossrail trains priority on existing lines, pushing freight trains to the bottom of an already crowded pecking order.

"The problem is that Crossrail means there will be more trains on the existing track. We want Crossrail trains to operate in the same way as those already using the rail network. We’re not saying we should get priority, but that as existing operators we should get a fair crack of the whip."

The QPA also insisted that the powers Crossrail is set to be awarded to improve signalling and other infrastructure on the existing lines be made mandatory, to ensure the increased capacity can be accommodated. "At the moment it has the powers, but no obligation to use them," said McLaughlin.

At last week’s Commons hearing Crossrail argued freight growth and congestion would occur regardless and thus it wasn’t its responsibility to make general infrastructure improvements. However, McLaughlin compared Crossrail to a quarry development.

"Even if the local infrastructure is already under strain, any quarrier would be legally required to ensure at the very least the situation wasn’t made any worse by its proposals."

[Contract Journal, 19 July 2006, p. 15]