Mitchell blocks LRT
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• The Government has blocked London Regional Transport's plans to build a new coach terminal at Paddington (see CM November 8).
Last week Transport Minister David Mitchell announced that he has decided to stop LRT getting approval for a terminal at Paddington by means of a Private Member's Bill in the present session of Parliament.
lie has also told LRT Chairman, Dr Keith Bright, that he is not persuaded by LRT's argument that it needs a single hub terminal to replace Victoria Coach Station. and he is considering an appropriate enquiry into the merits of a number of small terminals around London.
Mitchell has received LRI's report on the final phase of a study carried out by consultants, which he says provided a thorough assessment of London's coaching problems_ LRT and the consultants have recommended that a major new coach terminal should be developed at Paddington and Bright wants a Private Member's Bill to go through Parliament as the quickest means of setting it up.
The LRT Board believes that the local traffic environment could be improved by changing the road access to the proposed terminal and imposing controls on coach stopping.
LRT spokesman David Hales says he awaits the guidance of Mitchell about the new coach terminal. He admits that LRT could be involved in any inquiry into the potential location of a number of small coach terminals around London, but adds that a central hub is the only answer for London.
"It is not a realistic option to do nothing," claims Hales, "something needs to be done as soon as possible."
The need for haste is heightened by the plans of Grainhurst Properties to build a retail and office development at the site of the proposed Paddington Coach Terminal.
According to LRT, "Grain
hurst is still prepared to discuss the coach terminal with us. They have not yet started building at the site, and we think we could still go ahead with the terminal several months after the start of work there if we were given the go-ahead. The substructure and foundations of a retail development would be equally suitable for a coach terminal."
Mitchell has received strong opposition to the proposals from the local Tory MP John Wheeler and the chairman of Westminster Council's Planning and Development Committee.
In June last year former Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley asked LRT to examine the present and future terminal needs for Express Coach Services in London. The initial report of the consultants, published in March this year, stressed the need to replace Victoria Coach Station.
In September their latest report narrowed the choice of site to Paddington and Vauxhall, and public consultation ended at the end of October.