The Crossrail safeguarding proposals have recently been adopted into legislation, which means that the ‘safeguarded’ route consulted on in late 2014- early 2015 is now legally safeguarded, along with the “areas of surface interest”. Which means that Crossrail/TFL/DFT can now continue with developing their plans to bulldoze large sections of the Angel.
It seems that the level of protest at the public meeting I publicised in January has had some sort of effect, as the much loved Co-Op Bank Building has now been removed from the proposals, but the remainder of the block is still identified for demolition. There is also talk that the RBS building is being reconsidered for the surface works site, but there is still a determination to build the actual station entrance on the west side of the High Street. This is fundamentally wrong-headed.
Whilst the removal of the Co-op bank building from the site is a step in the right direction, it does not change the fact that a station entrance on the west side of Islington High Street will still destroy a number of listed buildings to make way for the railway, and it doesn't change the fact that Torrens street, as well as containing buildings of significant historical value, is also a completely inappropriate site, due to access issues and proximity to residential properties.
Only the use of the RBS site for both the surface works and a new station entrance will actually deliver real regeneration to the area, which is what Crossrail is supposed to do.
We need to continue to campaign for a solution that actually benefits Islington, And that includes campaigning for a ‘metro; rail type solution, which would be less disruptive and destructive, and allow more flexibility of route and scope for new stations.
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