Transport for LondonConsultation with stakeholders and interested parties is a key part of assessing the impacts of a scheme. Consultation is essential in order to gain a full understanding of the baseline conditions and potential nature of impacts. It is also important in ensuring that the scheme is designed to maximise the benefits it can deliver. DLR has adopted this principle and is consulting with the public, stakeholders and interested parties throughout the development of schemes.
DLR Ltd adopted a full programme of consultation prior to the Transport and Works Act submission in July 2002. The aim of the consultation prior to submission was to ensure that the views of statutory bodies, local people and stakeholders and interested parties were identified early on in the process and reflected in developing the outline design of the scheme itself. DLR Ltd supported this consultation with regular meetings with the London Boroughs (LBs) of Greenwich and Newham to enable the views of the two boroughs to be fed into the emerging outline design of the scheme.
In Autumn 2001, Docklands Light Railway Limited (DLR Ltd) carried out a consultation exercise involving public exhibitions, leaflets and questionnaires in Woolwich and North Woolwich to assess the level of support for the scheme and to identify a preferred route of the route identified from initial feasibility work. Discussions also took place with businesses and landowners along the route to incorporate their views and inputs into the scheme.
The results of the leaflet questionnaire of just under 11,000 local businesses and residents within one kilometre of Woolwich Arsenal station and 500 metres of King George V station in North Woolwich revealed 95% of those who responded supported the scheme.
From the four alternative routes that we had identified, 90% of respondents were in favour of option one, the route from the planned King George V station at North Woolwich to a new interchange station partly under Woolwich New Road and alongside the existing Railtrack Station.
We asked:
Do you think a DLR extension to Woolwich would be an improvement for you and other residents, shops and businesses in the area?
We asked:
Do you support the preferred station scheme (option 1 ) or one of the alternatives?
When asked how often they might use the DLR extension, two-thirds of respondents said they would use the new DLR link at least four times a week. Almost half of all potential users would use the link in connection with their work.
The comments received reflected a desire for the link to be implemented as soon as possible.
"Greenwich has already experienced - through the success of the Lewisham DLR extension - the benefit that improved transport links can bring to local people and to businesses. The Woolwich area is already undergoing a dramatic transformation, and bringing the DLR to Woolwich offers the prospect of accelerating that process still further. It will provide a boost to the regeneration of the town, making the area more attractive to businesses and providing new travel opportunities for work and leisure."
Cllr Chris Roberts
Leader, Greenwich Council
A second leaflet was distributed in January 2002 at a stage when the proposals for the preferred scheme were reasonably well advanced. The main intention of this consultation was to keep the public informed of progress.
In addition, DLR Ltd made a number of presentations to local Councillors informing them of the project. DLR Ltd also assembled, at the outset of the project, an Advisory Group of bodies with an interest in the Project, including the LBs of Greenwich and Newham, the Environment Agency (EA), the London Development Agency (LDA) and Railtrack. DLR Ltd, through the Advisory Group, has been able to keep its constituent members informed of progress with the Extension and to provide them with an opportunity to contribute to the emerging outline design of the scheme.
Immediately after submitting the TWA Order on 10 July 2002, DLR continued to actively consult with statutory bodies and other parties on the detail of the Order and nature of the scheme with a consultation evening in Woolwich to specifically allow residents along the route south of the River Thames (where the tunnels pass and there is the largest catchment of residents) the opportunity to learn more about the proposed scheme, potential impacts and proposed mitigation measures.
This was followed a week later by an open day which gave individuals the chance to discuss more specific queries on the scheme in detail. A similar open day was held in North Woolwich in August 2002 to address those concerns of residents north of the river. Other key stakeholders were also briefed on the TWA Order during August 2002 including the Woolwich Promotions Group (a number of key stakeholders in the town centre) and the Town Centre Group.
In more recent times since powers for the scheme were granted, DLR Ltd has established a Partners Group which includes key stakeholders and agencies with an interest in the scheme to keep them informed during the construction phase of the project.
