Croydon businesses win backing in fight not to pay for Crossrail
By Ian Austen
ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk
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CONTROVERSIAL: Crossrail will not serve south London
Complaints by businesses in Croydon and other areas of south London that they are having to pay for the building of Crossrail but will receive little benefit from it have been echoed by the London Assembly transport committee.
From April businesses in the borough with rateable values of more than £55,000 will have to pay two per cent extra in business rates to fund the new east/west rail link.
Both Croydon-based South London Business and Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) have condemned the fact local companies are being forced to pay when the line does not directly serve south London.
Yet businesses in Berkshire and Essex whose towns are directly on the route will pay nothing. This week the transport committee published its report into Crossrail which broadly welcomed the £16 billion scheme, as have Croydon businesses, as bringing benefits to the capital as a whole.
The report does, however, question "why London is contributing more than half of the funding for a project that is estimated to generate £22 billion for central government over the next 10 years."
It also highlights the fact that eight of the 37 Crossrail stations are outside Greater London, yet only London businesses are contributing through business rates.
5 Comments
by Croydon man, Croydon
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 9:51AM
“Trains are great, as alternative to car pollution, which is huge problem in Croydon. Crossrail is absolutely not needed and is purely for City workers to commute to their nice homes outside London, and also lots of easy (and public backed) profits for property speculators. How about building something that Londoners actually need for a change? A train line running north-south is desperately needed, and people have been begging for this for a hundred years. Scrap Crossrail now, and build this.”
by Mr.Angry, The Estate
Friday, March 05 2010, 10:43AM
“There is neither a body or charter in Parliament to look after motorists interests.When Cameron finally kicks out the present comedian a hoped for massive shakeup in the way motorists are represented and their massive taxes used would be welcomed by me.”
by David, Croydon
Thursday, March 04 2010, 7:11PM
“Crossrail, the olympics, etc. South of the Thames we don't see direct benefits - we just pay towards the costs.
A business in Croydon will probably derive as much benefit from crossrail as one in Manchester or Cornwall.”
by Mike, Ex Croydon
Thursday, March 04 2010, 1:52PM
“It is clear the however many road "improvements" are built Londons roads still get slower it looks as if trains, trams and the tube system improvements are the only hope of keeping Londoners moving.”
by Mr.Angry, The Estate
Thursday, March 04 2010, 11:41AM
“Waste of time and money which could be better spent and another blight on landscape of crammed London.BIG mistake Mayor ie roads are falling to pieces,too many road humps,smart traffic lights like on the continent how about doing something for the motorist like build BETTER roads Mayor and MP's.”