This morning l joined the local community in Paddington & North Kensington to protest against the closure of the “Big Table” bed shop which is located in the neighbourhood l grew up in.
I’ve been a supporter of Crossrail but did not expect it to cost local jobs and devour a local landmark like the Big Table (56 Great Western Road, W9) which has resided on this site for many years. Crossrail have had more then 20 years to sort these issues out and therefore, decisions which affect real lives, livelihoods and local businesses should not be left until just a few months before the tunnelling begins proper in March 2012 at Royal Oak. A conventional planning application to the local council setting out their plans for the electrical sub-station on the site would have afforded sufficient opportunity and time for all parties concerned to deal with the issues and the proposals. Instead, plans are railroaded through using the powers of the Crossrail Act.
In addition we also have the tunnel lining being transported into theRoyal Oak portal via the Great Western Road by lorry. We were originally led to believe it would come in by rail.
It was for this reason that I decided to “go to the mattresses” with Crossrail this morning and to support calls to support local people, jobs and heritage.