TfL Ref: FOI-0522-1718
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 31 May 2017 asking for information about Crossrail2.
You asked:
1. How many blight notices have been served along the route - broken down by section of the route (e.g. Tooting Broadway to Clapham Junction, Clapham Junction to Chelsea etc.)
We have received four blight notices; two in Wimbledon, one in King’s Road and one in Euston
2. For each section of the route how many of those notices have resulted in purchase of the property and the totals spent in each section making purchases.
To date there have been no property purchases
3. Where notices have been rejected a broad summary of the reasons why.
The notices didn’t satisfy the qualifying criteria. The qualifying criteria can be found here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/8/section/149
4. Explanation of the factors leading to the safeguarding of the Tooting route in early 2015.
The decision to Safeguard the Tooting alignment was outlined in Michael’s letter of 22nd May. A station at Tooting Broadway would offer good transport benefits and an interchange with the Northern line in order to alleviate crowding.
5. Explanation of the factors leading to the Balham route NOT being safeguarded in autumn 2015 - with reference to any guidance/laws on the same. Particularly those that relate to acceptable timelimits for leaving land safeguarded/unsafeguarded. Explanation of whether the decision not to safeguard has ever been revisited in the 20 months since.
We believe this point was referred to in Michael’s letter of 22nd May. Balham was proposed as an alternative and consulted on in 2015 as the ground conditions in the Tooting area would make it significantly more difficult to build a station at Tooting Broadway than originally thought. The question of whether to update the Safeguarding Directions to address the Balham / Tooting alignment is with the Transport Secretary and part of the decision making process which will inform decisions regarding the route and any changes to the Safeguarding Direction.
6. How many contacts/complaints have been received in respect of the unsafeguarded Balham route.
To date we have received 10,712 comments (including contacts/complaints) to our proposals for Crossrail 2 in Balham. This includes 188 comments received locally, as well as 10, 524 formal responses made during our last consultation in autumn 2015.
7. Copies (anonymised) of all correspondence regarding Crossrail 2 sent to those living on safeguarded route.
All those living on the safeguarding route will have received the letters and consultation leaflet relating to the area they live in the attached document. Please see pages 1-4 for letters and pages 5 – 60 for area specific consultation leaflets.
8. Copies (anonymised) of all correspondence regarding Crossrail 2 sent to those on the unsafeguarded Balham route.
Those living on the unsafeguarded Balham route received copies of the attached letters and consultation materials. Please see page 45 in attached document.
9. A copy of the Business Case provided by TfL to government on Crossrail 2 in March this year. If this cannot be provided a summary of the contents as regards the choice of route between Balham and Tooting.
The business case for Crossrail 2 is currently with the Transport Secretary for consideration. We are, however, not obliged to provide the requested information as it is subject to a statutory exception to the right of access to information under Regulation 12(4)(d), which provides that a public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that the request relates to material which is still in the course of completion, to unfinished documents or to incomplete data.
This exception is subject to a public interest test, which requires us to assess whether the public interest in applying the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure. In this instance, it is considered that the public interest favours the finalisation of the information as part of the Secretary of State’s ongoing decision making process. This will ensure all relevant factors and considerations can be taken into account, rather than the disclosure of information which does not accurately reflect any amendments that might still be made. The proposed route details are therefore currently incomplete and have yet to be finalised but will be published as part of the next consultation.
10. Indication of likely timescales going forward for the project.
We remain committed to consulting on revised proposals for the railway at the earliest possible time, and for a hybrid bill in this Parliament.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Lee Hill
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
