Snubbed Kingston could still pay for Crossrail (From Surrey Comet)

Snubbed Kingston could still pay for Crossrail

7:10am Tuesday 14th July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(2)

Kingston Council is set to be forced to pay £2.6m towards the Crossrail project, despite being snubbed for a place on the new route.

Crossrail will connect the City, Canary Wharf, the West End and Heathrow Airport to commuter areas east and west of the capital, with eight new stations in central London.

The rate is likely be levied at 2p in every pound from “supplementary business rates” – for all properties in Kingston with a rateable value of more than £50,000.

There are about 700 properties which would fall into this category including businesses, hospitals, universities, schools and council buildings.

Despite lobbying, it was decided by Transport for London, City Hall and the Government that Kingston would pay the same rate as inner London boroughs through which the train line runs.

Places such as Maidenhead and Essex are directly on the route but because they are outside London, their businesses will not be levied.

A recent report from Crossrail suggested Kingston would reap £18m a year in transport and economic benefits.

But a spokesman for Kingston Council said: “The Lib Dem administration at Kingston is in no way opposed to better transport infrastructure in London but is angered by the way Crossrail is likely be financed.”

No one from London Assembly's transport division was available for comment.

Update:

A spokesperson for Transport for London said: “Crossrail is a project for the whole of London.

"All boroughs including Kingston will benefit from Crossrail, not just those on the route, through the jobs created in London’s major employment centres which creates wealth for individual boroughs and the easing of congestion on the existing Tube and rail network."

• What do you think? Let us know by email here, phone the newsdesk on 020 8330 9555 or leave a comment below.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(2)