Crossrail: Not whether but when and how?

A lively and responsive audience at the 2004 ‘Question Time’ luncheon, organised by Placemakers in association with IBP, probed the likelihood of London’s Crossrail project finally getting the go ahead.

At the session, held at the Marriott Hotel at Canary Wharf last month, the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tony McNulty, said the Government faced ‘an enormous legislative slog’ to get the legislation it needed. They hoped to get the second reading of the Bill through by next February or March and then go into committee.He suggested that the project had moved to the point when it was not so much a question of whether but when and how, but there were still huge issues that had to be addressed regarding the financial and environmental questions surrounding Crossrail.

The concensus seemed to be that without Crossrail London could eventually grind to a halt and the future of Thames Gateway, which formed the basis for the discussion, be put at risk. ‘Question Time’ was chaired by Giles Barrie, Editor of Property Week and IBPVice Chairman, who demonstrated a genuine flair for controlling the questioning and directing the answers.

He was assisted by a top rate team of speakers comprising, as well as Mr.McNulty, Steven Norris, recent candidate against the incumbent Ken Livingstone in the race to be Mayor of London and again forcing him into a run-off.The other keynote speakers were Jackie Sadek, Chief Executive of Kent Thameside; Tim Seddon, Development Director, Land Securities and Eric Sorensen, Chief Executive of the Thames Gateway London Partnership.