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The boss of the huge shopping centre project by the Olympic Park reignited fears today that Stratford International station will become a white elephant.
John Burton, development director of Westfield's £1.45 billion Stratford City, criticised Eurostar's refusal to stop at the £210 million station. Located 400 yards from the Olympic Stadium, it was finished in 2006. The first trains, Southeastern's high-speed Kent service, began calling there in December.
But Eurostar says trains going to and from France and Belgium will not stop at Stratford until after the 2012 Games at the earliest. Mr Burton said the decision made it an “international station without any international trains”.
Writing in a Thames Gateway London Partnership report, he said domestic services were a “poor substitute” for Eurostar: “International commuters are essential in order to realise the vision of a major metropolitan centre for east London. Direct international services will be a key part of the legacy of the Olympics.”
The report calls for continuing government investment in Crossrail and high-speed services.
At 1.9 million sq ft, Stratford City will be the largest urban shopping centre in Europe. The first phase of the development is due to open next year.
Reader views (16)
"As for Westfield at Stratford their main problem arises from the fact that this is a poor area and therefore unlike its other centre in west London is unlikely to attract a large local population as a business base. - Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 09/09/2010"
The Olympic Boroughs include the greatest ocncentration of long-term unemployed people in the UK - more than Belfast, Glasgow, Sunderland, Liverpool or Merthyr Tydfil.
But that's not everybody here! Olympic public transport improvements make the new shops accesibile to 100s of 1000s. And 8,000 new jobs that day the shops open is not to be sneezed at.
- Alan Griffiths, Forest Gate, LONDON, 12/09/2010 21:53
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'The truth is, Stratford International has no Customs or Passport control. That's the problem. That's what Eurostar have said publicly. They cant stop there until that is in place. '
If you live in the area you will se that most of these who live here have never had a passport, they just hung on to the back of the train 'Which ones' Oh Eurostar. sums it up.
- Kat, Nearshi**yStratford, 10/09/2010 14:20
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The truth is, Stratford International has no Customs or Passport control. That's the problem. That's what Eurostar have said publicly. They cant stop there until that is in place.
Westfield should have done their research, it's too late to whine now.
- Kay Burley ate my hamster, Hackney, London, 10/09/2010 12:18
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The London/Paris High Speed Line is approx 300 miles long; Lille is approx half way near the junction to Brussels, whilst Stratford in East London is only approx 6 miles from its St Pancras terminus.
My understanding is that Stratford was never intended to be a stop on the London/Paris Eurostar route; rather it was intended to be a stop on UK Regional Eurostars that would have by-passed St Pancras on their way to the Channel Tunnel.
With the abandonment of the planned UK Regional Eurostar service, and a proposal to extend HS1 to or near Heathrow - it would make sense for these latter trains to stop at Stratford.
These Heathrow high speed trains would by-pass St Pancras, so a stop at Stratford for the GEML, Central & Jubilee lines, Docklands Light Railway, Crossrail etc all makes considerable sense.
- Peter Hooper, Windsor. UK., 10/09/2010 11:57
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Stratford, sorry where the hell is that ? Who is ever going to visit there - not quite the same ring as Paris, Brussels, London..... Stop using these idiotic Olympics as an excuse to cause further disruption and confusion to our appalling transport planning. Stop wasting billions on the stupid Olympics that nobody will watch and spend it on a joined up railways policy that can start to move into line with what they are doing on the Continent.
- Kevin Bollox, London, 10/09/2010 11:13
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If the Eurostar can stop at Lille shopping centre, lets give the French, Stratford.
- Simon, London, 09/09/2010 23:18
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Whilst some are ranting against High Speed Rail, it may be useful to consider the Conservative's 2010 General Election manifesto:-
"In Stage 1: We will build a high-speed rail line connecting London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds with the Continent through the Channel Tunnel". Also they expressed their support for a Heathrow link "along the lines of the Arup proposal".
The election is over and the coalition government are jointly committed to the development of a national high speed rail network.
So is it wrong for there to be reasoned debate on the subject, or should we submit to abuse from a bunch of Chiltern Hillbillies, NIMBYs and Luddites ???
- Peter Hooper, Windsor. UK., 09/09/2010 20:33
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How about shelling out for this fantastic sight yourself if you think its worth it.!!!
- Davey_buoy, Chertsey, 09/09/2010 18:30
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What is really needed is to extend HS1 to or near Heathrow, thus allowing International trains (Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn etc) and high speed regional services (Hitachi Javelins etc) to compete on a wider high speed network.
It's the high speed regional trainsets ie Hitachi Javelins)that would make best use of the WCML, ECML & GWR (if electrified), and do not require passport control / customs etc as required at International stations.
The most origional idea for upping the HSR game is the Arup proposal for an International GWR/M25/Heathrow hub between West Drayton & Iver; the competing train companies would then decide for themselves where they want to stop.
- Peter Hooper, Windsor. UK., 09/09/2010 16:06
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<i>"Our main problem is our island mentality which means that while in other countries international trains depart from adjacent platforms...."</i>
Mervyn is right. This island mentality prevails elsewhere in public transport. The west country, for all its charm, is unworkably backward in public transport. Where rare competition exists, you have to buy separate tickets per journey, making it expensive. Timetabling stuck in the 1940s ensures that you easily spend 2 hours travelling 8km.
- anil, glos, 09/09/2010 14:14
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Seems to me it's just in the centre's commercial interest to have the international trains stop there. Who in their right minds (no offence East Londoners) would want to stop and get off there when Central London is minutes away?
If it is to be that much of an attaction to our European nieghbours, they will be happy to make their own way there via the plentiful links already operating or under construction.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 09/09/2010 14:07
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Its a real shame not using Stratford for international links, bring the Eurostar in. Let's show our friends across the channel we can do a better job than Lille !
- A Young, London, 09/09/2010 14:02
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@Melvyn - the constraints on using separate platforms, etc, are based on UK's refusal to join the Schengen Agreement.
What could be done, however, is make it easier to switch the same platform between 'Domestic' and 'International' use, as is done at Lille Europe.
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall, 09/09/2010 12:30
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When will people in the country learn that some projects are built with long term time leads and may therefore remain unused for a number of years. I saw a documentary about Singapores metro which mentioned that while stations were built and ready they wold not be used for at least 5 years its just better VFM to build them at the same time as the railway.
As for Stratford International then things may change if Eurostar gets some competition as German railways want to run services to St Pancras in 2012 and have plans for a test run of an ICE train through the Channel tunnel later this year.
This also ties in with the development of high speed rail and if the government were really interested in this they would be making plans to extend HS1 from Stratford to Welwyn where it could join the ECML and allow Eurostar servives to run to Leeds as a starter.
Our main problem is our island mentality which means that while in other countries international trains depart from adjacent platforms we insist on seperating them at great cost which makes regional international services unviable. This problem needs adressing if we are to get international trains north of London!!
As for Westfield at Stratford their main problem arises from the fact that this is a poor area and therefore unlike its other centre in west London is unlikely to attract a large local population as a business base.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 09/09/2010 12:09
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Stratford International, just the name for a white elephant only the name 'Olympic Park 2012'etc IS the name already for the white elephant being forced on us who survive around here. Bring on the bombs which missed this area in the Bliz, how many REAL eastenders are turning in the graves to see the place they fought for being abused like this.
- Kat, OncewasniceLondon, 09/09/2010 11:56
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Stratford International was built because Eurostar were going to run regional services. These services from Cities like Leeds or Birmingham would of stopped at Stratford rather than St Pancras. Thanks to the budget airline brigade this killed off the regional and even Nightstar sleeper services to various cities on the continent.
- Paul Humphreys, Essex, 09/09/2010 11:41
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