Unanimous support from all three Greenwich borough MPs has boosted the Council’s campaign for a Woolwich Crossrail station.
During a debate in the House of Commons on the Crossrail Bill, Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich and Woolwich argued that there was a “very strong regeneration case” for the inclusion of a Woolwich station.
He used North Greenwich tube station and Cutty Sark DLR as examples of busy stations that were both of which were excluded from initial construction plans.
North Greenwich station now plays a key role in the regeneration of the Greenwich peninsula and Cutty Sark station provides a gateway to Greenwich World Heritage site and is the most popular station on the extension.
Major transport hub
John Austin, MP for Erith and Thamesmead made the point that Woolwich is a major transport hub in south east London and that there was currently inadequate provision for Crossrail stations south of the river.
Avoiding traffic gridlock
Clive Efford, MP for Eltham added that a Woolwich station was essential to avoid total traffic gridlock in his constituency. Eltham includes a number of heavily used arterial routes which regularly become congested including the A2, Shooters Hill road and the A20.
The current Bill includes a station at Abbey Wood, but not at Woolwich, despite the fact that the trains will pass through Woolwich on the proposed 6-mile journey from Custom House to the end of the line at Abbey Wood.
New jobs and homes
A study commissioned by the Council estimates that a Woolwich Crossrail station could provide up to 6,000 jobs (2,500 directly related to Crossrail) and 19,000 new homes (with up to 4,500 related to Crossrail). Woolwich, at the heart of the Thames Gateway, is also the only town centre on the entire route where trains will not stop.
The Council has petitioned the government to include a station for Woolwich with support from thousands of local people, politicians and the business community.
Boost to regeneration
The Leader of Greenwich Council, Councillor Chris Roberts said:
"I am grateful for the support of our local MP’s in our crucial campaign for a Woolwich stop which would provide a major boost to the ongoing regeneration of Woolwich and the wider Thames Gateway area.
"Thousands of new jobs and homes on such sites such as the Royal Arsenal are coming to the area, and increasing numbers of businesses are making a base in the town centre. There is no sensible reason not to include a Woolwich station on what is London’s biggest transport development in over a century."
13 January 2006