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THE boss of Crossrail this week pledged to help traders hit hard because of building work which has transformed some streets into narrow, dusty alleyways bordered by hoardings. 

New signage telling passers-by that shops and restaurants close to the construction site are still open for business will go up in Great Chapel Street, Soho, on Tuesday “at the latest” and the scheme’s chairman Terry Morgan is to meet Councillor Angela Harvey, who heads a committee examining Crossrail’s effect on the West End.
 

The announcement follows West End Extra’s June 10 front page story highlighting urgent concerns raised by Cllr Harvey’s built environment scrutiny committee, which heard from “witnesses” including Great Chapel Street resident and restaurateur Julia Forte.

Ms Forte slammed Crossrail’s “inadequate” lighting and signs, technically “business continuity signs”, which are meant to ensure businesses do not lose out on passing trade.

When Crossrail’s representative, an acquisitions manager, said such issues were beyond his remit, Cllr Harvey rebuked the organisation.

This week a spokesman for Crossrail said the council had not requested the relevant personnel to attend the meeting, but added: “Crossrail recognises future Westminster Council scrutiny meetings require broader attendance to ensure that residents and businesses can raise individual or wider issues concerning Crossrail’s construction to an appropriate representative.”

He added that Mr Morgan and Crossrail programme director Andy Mitchell would meet Cllr Harvey, as well as Soho residents and businesses, shortly.

Mr Mitchell said he had launched an immediate review of all business continuity signage and had asked for hoardings in the Tottenham Court Road area to be made more attractive.
 

Yesterday (Thursday) Cllr Harvey said: “If this was an ordinary infrastructure project doing this stuff, we the council could go in and get things right and then bill them but, because of the legislation surrounding Crossrail – the particular legislation, we cannot do that. I think that Mr Morgan needs to come to see what his people have decided to give priority to. I want to talk to him about that and show him what the issues are.”