Issue - meetings

To answer written questions from Councillors

Note:  The deadline for questions is 5pm on Wednesday 13 April 2016 (17.00 hours on the third clear working day before the meeting).

a)            Improvements to access at Ewell West Station:  Councillor Michael Arthur asked the following written question and received the following written answer from the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor Humphrey Reynolds:

Question:

At Council on 17 February 2015 I asked a question of the Chairman of the Planning Committee with regard to the special allocation of funds from central government for improvements under “Access for All”.  The response being that Head of Planning & Building Control (the then job title) would write at the appropriate person in The Department for Transport to ensure proper liaison on this issue.

I have heard little more at the Council end, but, informally, I understand that representatives of Southwest Trains, Network Rail and contractor Osbornes are proceeding with working up designs which will include two lifts connected with a horizontal walkway. This option may not be the best and not give value for money.

I have had a feedback of local opinion that different solutions giving improved access from both sides, i.e. Ewell and West Ewell may be possible and certainly be less costly.  There could be highway implications involving the County Council.

Could the Chairman say if this Council may be able to set up a Stakeholder meeting to see of all the interested parties be brought together to input local views.

Reply:

I can confirm that the Head of Planning and Building Control contacted Network Rail in early 2015 and that he was advised that the Access for All programme of works affected many stations and that Ewell West was some way down the list.  They undertook to contact him once the timing was more certain. 

He was recently further advised that the necessary authority to begin feasibility work had been given on 31 March 2016.  This set in motion the early development work.  It will initially be a process internal to Network Rail and will involve the preparation of some high-level options for consideration by the Department for Transport (DfT).  The Head of Place Development will be contacted again when the options are at a stage where they can be discussed before submission to the DfT.  He will ensure that Ward Councillors are informed and invited to meet with Network Rail’s representative/s.

Network Rail has confirmed that it is aware that the station is a listed building and that the solution needs to be appropriately designed to respect its special character.  Furthermore, Councillor Arthur may be aware that the Chairman of Ewell Village Residents’ Association recently met with a representative of Network Rail to explain some of the alternative ideas.  I cannot confirm whether they will be among the options assessed in the feasibility work.