The Stage

West End theatre concern at Crossrail project

Published Tuesday 1 March 2005 at 16:05 by Jeremy Austin

West End theatres are bracing themselves for disruption caused by the Government’s proposed Crossrail train line that is due to be constructed in the next ten years.

A bill has been placed before Parliament that sets the programme of work - needed to construct the two lines that will run from west to east and north east to south west underneath the centre of London - at a cost of around £154 million. Much of that work will take place around the junction of Charing Cross Road and Oxford Street, with the route around the Dominion Theatre, home of We Will Rock You, potentially being diverted temporarily.

Theatre owners are as concerned about the latest proposals for the scheme as they were when the original scheme was mooted a decade ago. Then there were fears that not only the work on the tunnel but also the sound of trains rumbling past theatres when it was completed would be disruptive.

Theatres Trust director Peter Longman said his organisation was keeping an eye on the proceedings. He said there could be disruption at the Dominion Theatre.

“Certainly the Crossrail people seem keen to bend over backwards to talk to various parties. There could be disruption certainly around the Dominion. We are on the case here,” he said.

Since the attempt in the early nineties to undertake the project, work has been carried out on reducing the noise made by trains travelling through the completed tunnels. Area consultation manger for Crossrail Torin Smith said, however, that the road around the Dominion will be closed for two years while work is done. Traffic and pedestrians will be diverted away from the area at various times. He added that the company would be happy to meet with theatre operator Clear Channel Entertainment nearer the time but that with details of the construction not yet drawn up, things were too premature.