Croydon Council blames government, not Boris Johnson, for tram extension being scrapped

By IAN AUSTEN

ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk

Croydon's Tory-run council has blamed the controversial shelving of the Crystal Palace Tramlink extension on the Labour government, rather than Conservative mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Council leader Mike Fisher said this week it was a lack of government funding for improving the Underground and building Crossrail which had forced Mr Johnson to rethink his transport plans.

Cllr Fisher committed the council to pressing for the reinstatement of the project into the new business plan.

But he did not attach any blame for the U-turn on the mayor, who when campaigning earlier this year for Croydon residents' votes talked up the Crystal Palace link and other future tram routes.

The mayor announced last week he would have to prioritise spending on Crossrail and the Underground at the expense of smaller projects including the £170 million Tramlink extension.

The extension would have linked the Harrington Road stop in South Norwood to Crystal Palace.

It now looks as if, without a change of heart, it will be at least 10 years before the project has a chance of surfacing again.

Describing the decision as "deeply disappointing", Cllr Fisher said some of the blame for the situation had to be shouldered by previous mayor Ken Livingstone who had made a commitment to an extension which he did not have the money to deliver.

He continued: "And it is the failure of the Government Public Private Partnership solution for the London Underground and under-resourcing of the Crossrail project that have now left the mayor high and dry in terms of his ability to adequately resource projects in south London."

Cllr Fisher said if lobbying the Government, mayor and Transport for London failed the council would want to ensure the project was only postponed, not cancelled.

He said: "We will also be requesting early discussions about measures that may be introduced to combat traffic congestion in and around the proposed route and to improve bus services."

Such discussions will have the backing of businesses in Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood.

Members of Crystal Palace and Norwood Chamber of Commerce described the news as a severe blow to the area when they met on Tuesday.

Ray Hall, chair of the Chamber of Commerce, said: "From the businesses' point of view Tramlink is essential to the ongoing viability of the (Upper Norwood) Triangle and we will be lobbying to get the extension restored at the first opportunity."

Mr Hall said the imminent arrival of the East London line in Crystal Palace would be a boost to the area but that Tramlink would make it more accessible from across south London.

He added: "It will bring more people into the Triangle and the more footfall there is, the stronger the shops can be."

*How do you feel about the tram extension being scrapped? And who do you think is to blame? Leave your comments below or write to newsdesk@croydonadvertiser.co.uk