Chapter 2 Route Window NE1 Stratford station

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STRATFORD STATION

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2 Route Window NE1 Stratford station

Introduction2.1 The activities in this route window are associated with the works at Stratford station. The high-

level station is used at present by One Railway, Central line and DLR, with North London Line and Jubilee line trains serving the station at the low level.

2.2 Island platform 3/4/5 is used by a number of operators. Platform 3 is used by the London Underground westbound Central line; platform 4 (finger platform) is a DLR terminus; and platform 5 is used by the One Railway stopping service.

2.3 Island platform 6/7/8 is also used by a number of operators. Platform 6 is used by the London Underground eastbound Central line, platform 7 (finger platform) is currently unused (it was to be used for a service proposed, but never introduced, to Fenchurch Street station), and platform 8 is served by the One Railway stopping service. Platforms 9, 10, 11 and 12 are used by One Railway.

2.4 Crossrail and One Railway peak services will use platforms 5 and 8. Platform 4 will be abolished and filled in to provide additional width to the western end of platform 5. DLR services will transfer to a new terminus platform elsewhere in the layout. The Central line and remaining One Railway platforms are not affected. Platform 7 will contribute to the standing area of platform 8. (See Map NE1 (vi).)

2.5 The Crossrail project will substantially enhance public transport capacity between Stratford and the City and West End, relieving overcrowded tube and rail services. New and faster direct travel opportunities will be available from the City, West End, and points west to Maidenhead and Heathrow. Table 2.1 gives typical journey time improvements.

2.6 There is one worksite associated with this route window: Stratford Station Worksite. It is on railway land about 100 m east of the station building. Access is from Meridian Square from the A11 Great Eastern Road. The location is shown on Map NE1 (iv).

2.7 The works are expected to take about 17 weeks, during which time rail passengers will be unaffected. The drawings provided at the end of this chapter present the main features of the route window, construction lorry routes assessed, existing facilities in the vicinity of Stratford station and transport linkages.

Baseline conditions 2.8 This route window lies in the London Borough of Newham and is in Travelcard zone 3. The area

surrounding the station is mainly commercial; the Stratford Shopping Centre lies across Great Eastern Road from the station.

Figure 2.1 Station entrance on Meridian Square

2.9 Stratford station is west of Stratford town centre between A11 Great Eastern Road and the Great Eastern Main Line in the London Borough of Newham. Together with the adjoining bus station, it forms a major transport hub in East London. Both the Central line and Jubilee line serve the station, providing interchange with the DLR and National Rail (One Railway and Silverlink/North London Line).

2.10 The station entrance is located on Meridian Square, reached from A11 Great Eastern Road (see fig. 2.1). The square provides facilities for ‘kiss and ride’, coaches and taxis as shown in fig. 2.2.

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ROUTE WINDOW NE1

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Figure 2.2 Meridian Square, looking west towards the station building

2.11 A11 Great Eastern Road operates as a one-way road northbound and forms part of the gyratory system around Stratford town centre.

2.12 Stratford station is very well served by bus services. The bus station (immediately south of the ticket hall) is served by numerous bus routes and the taxi rank can accommodate up to 8 vehicles.

2.13 There is no on-street or off-street parking available for commuters at the station. The shopping centre car park opposite the station is priced to appeal to short-stay parking only.

2.14 Cycle routes in the area surrounding the station are very extensive and of high quality. There is cycle parking for up to 34 cycles outside the station.

2.15 Pedestrian facilities are very good with adequate footways and high provision of formal crossings.

2.16 Facilities for mobility impaired passengers are provided for at this station.

2.17 Maryland station, which is on A11 The Grove about 600 m east of Stratford station, is also in this route window. It will not be served by Crossrail but will retain a peak service to and from Liverpool Street main line station.

Potential changes in baseline conditions

2.18 Docklands Light Railway Limited (DLRL) is constructing a new platform arrangement for its services and has planning permission for these works (received in September 2004). The new DLR platform arrangements will be in place by 2006.

2.19 Stratford International station on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is being constructed on the railway land north of Stratford station. Services are expected to begin in 2007.

2.20 The Stratford City Development has now received planning consent from Newham Council. The development is located to the north of Stratford Station and will be integrated with the station through a new station entrance. It is proposed to begin construction of Stratford City in 2006, with the town centre completed by 2009 and the following development phases completed by 2020.

2.21 The 2016 baseline assumes that the DLR will have taken over the North London line services between Canning Town and Stratford and will have been extended north to Stratford Inter-national station. North London Line services would be diverted, possibly to new platform or platforms immediately northwest of platform 12 in the main station.

The permanent works 2.22 The Stratford station worksite is required to facilitate the removal of the existing DLR service

from platform 4 (and its associated relocation), to allow for the creation of a wider waiting area for the adjacent platform 5. It is intended that the track alongside platform 4 will be removed and the land filled in to provide a wider and safer Crossrail platform, which could house a waiting room and other platform furniture.

2.23 Some refurbishment works in addition to the fitting of new platform furniture will also be undertaken on the platforms.

2.24 No works are proposed at Maryland station because, owing to physical constraints, it would not be practicable to extend the platforms to accommodate 10-car Crossrail trains. Other factors are the low level of use of this station and its proximity to Stratford station. During peak hours, however, this station will still be served by trains from Liverpool Street.

Worksite assessment

Stratford Station worksite

2.25 The worksite occupies the land to the northeast of the station building between A11 Great Eastern Road and the Great Eastern Main Line. Access for construction traffic will be from an existing access road off Meridian Square; this can be seen in fig. 2.3. This road is used at present by station maintenance vehicles.

2.26 No significant traffic or transportation impacts have been identified that are associated with this worksite.

Lorry routes assessment

2.27 Construction vehicles are expected to access the worksite from A11 Great Eastern Road via Meridian Square. Lorries leaving the site are expected to head southbound via the Stratford gyratory and along A11 High Street to the Bow roundabout. This will facilitate interchange with A12, which is the closest road on the TLRN from this worksite.

2.28 The lorries generated by the Stratford station worksite will share road space with several bus services.

STRATFORD STATION

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Figure 2.3 Existing access road on Meridian Square

2.29 The total number of lorry movements associated with the works for Stratford station is about 60. It is predicted that the number of two-way lorry movements to this worksite will not exceed eight a day during the estimated three-week peak construction period. At other times the number of daily two-way lorry movements will be about two.

Mitigation and temporary impacts 2.30 There are no significant construction traffic impacts in Route Window NE1, so mitigation is not

necessary.

Mitigation and permanent impacts 2.31 The significant operational impacts and mitigation measures are indicated in Table 2.2.

2.32 There is one significant impact to note in this route window relating to public transport. No major changes in passenger numbers entering or leaving are forecast at Stratford station. There are

sufficient traffic and transport facilities in the vicinity of this station to cater for the forecast passengers.

2.33 Significant impacts on rail users at Stratford and Maryland are forecast. Rail passengers at Stratford are expected to experience significant journey time benefits. These are discussed below.

2.34 Crossrail trains will not stop at Maryland station and train services will be removed in the off-peak period. Maryland station will retain its service in the peak periods. Although improved transport links are proposed to Stratford it is likely that journey times to and from Maryland in the off-peak periods will increase and that there will be a permanent residual impact.

Impact on rail journey times

2.35 The following table sets out representative journey time savings between Stratford and selected stations during the morning peak period. They are typical of the significant journey time benefits to many of the stations on Crossrail.

Table 2.1 Journey time savings (platform-to-platform) to and from Stratford station

From/to EalingBroadway

Heathrow Tottenham Court Road

Farringdon

Without Crossrail 46 54 19 19

With Crossrail 31 49 13 10

Saving (minutes) 14 5 6 9

Fro

m S

trat

ford

Saving (%) 31% 9% 29% 47%

Without Crossrail 42 48 19 17

With Crossrail 25 45 14 10

Saving (minutes) 16 3 5 7

To S

trat

ford

Saving (%) 39% 6% 26% 41%

Table 2.2 Route Window NE1 – Permanent impacts

Residual impact Works and potential impact

Significance Committedmitigation

Description Significance

Public transport

Improved journey time – see journey times table.

Significant N/a N/a SignificantOT2c

Improved journey time – see journey times table.

Significant N/a N/a Significant

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