Station footpath delayed again!

Hi Glen

There are a few issues to resolve I’m afraid before we will be in a position to open Ray Dudley Way:

1.      1. Our Anti Social Behaviour Team has recently raised concerns because Edison Close/Exeter Road (through which the new link will pass) is a high crime location and has a particular problem with gangs from outside the area intimidating local residents.  The Police have carried out over 70 stop and searches in the two roads this year.  Our preferred option to address these safety concerns is to install 4 new CCTV cameras along the route.  This work will be commissioned shortly and coordinated with a high Police/CSO presence once the link opens.

2.      2. With regard to the route through Walthamstow Central station car park, Solum has unfortunately slipped the programme for constructing the new access road and footway along the side of the development and now proposes to do this in December.  The reason is a delay in the hotel construction programme and the need to maintain a haul route for construction vehicles through the site.  This gives us a problem in terms of ensuring a suitable and safe route for pedestrians through the site.  We will explore with Solum the possibility of a temporary solution to allow the link to be used by the public safely before the permanent road and footway are constructed.

3.      3. We are waiting for London Overground to install Oyster Readers at the new station entrance from Exeter Road before this can be opened.  They have not indicated to us that an additional TVM would be required on the Exeter Road side.  As the vast majority of passengers use Oyster, I’m not sure that another TVM would be required as in any case there is already one at the top level just across the other side of the bridge.

So the earliest possible opening would be in September but that does depend on us being able to resolve all of the issues above.

Regards

Neil