4-SUB 4732
Established Member
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- 7 Jan 2018
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- 2,150
That was the thinking but over the past decade planned (and current) housing has meant there can be no reduction in capacity or paths on the Woolwich line if that was the plan. Charlton will now see 10,000 homes, That's up hugely from planned numbers a decade ago. Greenwich homes has doubled to 20,000+ and not all will use the Jubilee. Deptford is similar.
Then there's getting all those people from Kent (and the 20,000 homes Bexley plan and then many thousands more in Dartford) to Abbey Wood from the east.
I'm very dubious many using other Dartford lines within London will switch to crossrail. Any time advantage from Abbey Wood compared to taking a train from Bexleyheath or Welling to Lewisham then DLR to Canary Wharf (or train to the City) is lost by needing to take a bus to Abbey Wood. Why do it? As a long term resident it makes no sense to me. As for the Sidcup line that's even more unlikely.
Crossrail will only directly benefit the Woolwich line, but as stated many new homes past Woolwich in Charlton, Greenwich and Deptford mean no capacity reduction is possible mid term.
I'm not sure the DfT realise this when planning the franchise.
I live in Bexleyheath and soon it will be extremely tempting to use the 301 'fast' bus to Abbey Wood.
At the moment, the time taken from Barnehurst to London Bridge is 30 minutes, with around a 25 minute transfer (including escalators up and down at each end and a quick cross-platform swap at Baker Street) for me to Paddington and then 15 minutes to Heathrow T1/2/3. That's 70 minutes.
According to Crossrail's site, it will be 51 minutes from Abbey Wood to Heathrow T1/2/3, and even with a splash of extra time making sure I get a bus, add some wait at Abbey Wood we're talking about 75 minutes. The one positive is if I'm a bit older or infirm I've got one change and step-free access to the bus, at Abbey Wood, a direct journey to sit back and relax and such.
Apply similar logic to people who live in the areas around West Heath, Brampton, Crook Log, Pantiles etc. and people will consider the fast journey times and convenience of Crossrail from Abbey Wood to Canary Wharf (very short journey times), for the East (Whitechapel etc.), Liverpool Street and the West End and it will be better than sitting on a train through Kidbrooke and Lewisham (people will think about changing their journey because the likelihood of a seat will be pretty rubbish for a 30-38 minute journey on the way home with all that Kidbrooke and Lewisham lot) and you'll see a reasonable modal shift. People from Dartford and Gravesend may even change their journeys, and High Speed may have a small net loss from Medway and Gravesend as people go to Abbey Wood and towards places like Docklands, City and Farringdon as High Speed won't quite have the edge any more, which is good for Ebbsfleet passengers who will have some extra capacity...