Maidenhead & Windsor

Following the Maidenhead Royal Borough's successful petition to a parliamentary select committee against controversial elements of Crossrail's construction plans in Maidenhead, new details have emerged about how council concerns are to be met.

Crossrail has now offered to make an undertaking to carry out their construction works in ways that:

# protect Guards Club Park and Island and
# help to provide much-needed additional car parking at Maidenhead station.

The offer will be discussed by cabinet members when they meet next week (Thursday December 14).

Crossrail say they will use a barge on the River Thames to deliver construction equipment and to service the central pier of the viaduct at Guards Club Island – which means they will not use the listed footbridge and island for transporting the materials needed for the project. They will also relocate the works depot to under the arches outside the park, with deliveries limited to scaffolding and adminstration/welfare facilities for staff. The site will operate for no longer than 13 months and the footbridge will be restricted to workers carrying hand tools only.

Crossrail will also agree to list the works area and adjacent land as an environmentally sensitive site with a comprehensive management plan to protect the environment of the park and the conservation area Specimen trees will be protected.

At Maidenhead station, Crossrail propose to work with the borough to come up with – and part fund – a suitable site for a multi-storey car park with 100 more spaces than already available at the station car parks. This, says the cabinet report, is a positive response to the borough's case that the growth in passenger numbers as a result of Crossrail demanded a fundamental re-think of facilities at the station, not only for cars but also for improved interchange facilities for buses, taxis, cycles and pedestrians.

Maidenhead Cllr Antony Wood, lead member for traffic and transport, said he welcomed the undertaking as early proof of Crossrail's good intentions. However, the fine print needed to be studied carefully so the council could be absolutely certain that it was the best possible deal for Maidenhead.

He added: "To have achieved these concessions is vindication of the council's determination to protect and enhance local facilities and amenities and make sure that Crossrail does indeed deliver the goods for the borough. Other local organisations were also involved in petitioning parliament and I thank them for their involvement. I think our combined campaign has paid off."

Other petitions submitted on issues affecting Maidenhead included those from Maidenhead Civic Society and Thames Reach Residents' Association.

The borough's opposition to overhead electric cables at the historic Brunel Bridge has forced Crossrail into working with both the council and English Heritage to find a way forward that will not harm the listed structure and minimise the impact on its appearance.

Cllr Wood added: "It is very disappointing that Crossrail could not come up with an alternative to the overhead electrification cables but the council now has the opportunity to influence the ultimate design through this Heritage Agreement. We will be pushing very strongly for the least possible impact on this historic bridge."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead