Crossrail's latest design proposals for Ealing Broadway station would delay the station completion by at least two years and downgrade the planned station by removng the three planned escalators and two new footbridges planned across the tracks.
Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the London Assembly Liberal Democrat Group and Vice Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee came to Ealing Broadway last week to see for herself what this could mean for Ealing Broadway station.
Caroline said: "Across London there is a long list of stations and transport projects where corners have been cut. Often people have paid a huge price for such short term decisions, especially in terms of overcrowding. Cutting back on access and capacity at such an important station as Ealing Broadway runs the risk of adding this station to that long list."
Cllr Jon Ball, Lib Dem Councillor for Ealing Common ward and parliamentary campaigner, said, "The rebuilding of Ealing Broadway for Crossrail is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build the proper transport interchange that Ealing needs. Crossrail's initial plans were inadequate so for Crossrail to now downgrade their plans is totally unacceptable. I will be moving a motion at next week's Ealing Council meeting to commit the Council to reject this downgrade and fight for the station that Ealing residents deserve."
Tony Miller, Vice-Chair of Ealing Liberal Democrats used the opportunity of last week's "Let's Talk Transport" session in Greenford to quiz Mayor of London, Boris Johnson about this.
Photos: (top) Cllr Nigel Bakhai, Ealing Lib Dems Transport Spokesman, Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the London Assembly Liberal Democrat Group, and Vice Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, and Cllr Jon Ball, Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner for Ealing Central & Acton, pictured outside Ealing Broadway station.
(bottom) Tony Miller, Vice-Chair of Ealing Lib Dems, challenging Boris Johnson about Crossrail's Ealing Broadway station downgrade proposals at the "Let's Talk Transport" session in Greenford.