Crossrail - The most ambitious infrastructure project

"There is no strategy in India for integrating Metro stations with their context that can support existing and emerging urban centres. The biggest lesson from Crossrail is to recognize the catalytic impact rail infrastructure projects bring on areas their stations serve", opines London based Ar Anwar Punekar. Currently, Lead Urban Designer at Crossrail Limited, Anwar with over 16 years of interdisciplinary built environment experience on mega infrastructure and housing projects speaks to Ar Apurva Bose Dutta on Crossrail, his most ambitious infrastructure project ever.

As Lead Urban Designer of Crossrail, what are the challenges that you have encountered during the conceptualization/construction of the same?
Infrastructure projects are essentially engineering-led and it was often hard to convince project management colleagues in Crossrail about the qualitative improvements urban design can add. As designers of a subjective realm - built environment - we can't build as much hard evidence as the civil engineers and transport planners can. As a result, the value urban design could add was seen 'as something nice to have' and not taken on board. Over the years, however, things have changed for the better. Good context inclusive design was recognized as a USP both inside and outside Crossrail. With good design we have had positive design reviews from Design Council Cabe – an independent design advisory body in the UK. We also have had good stakeholders buy in and positive media coverage.


What are the green and sustainable features that have been made a part of Crossrail?
Crossrail's sustainability strategy has derived its key themes and initiatives by mapping the sustainable strategy of the UK Government. Key performance indicators such as Breeam and Ceequal have not only been used to bench mark Crossrail against established industry standards but Crossrail is also the first to introduce these standards in underground stations. There are 20 key initiatives that focus on social and economic and environmental themes some of which are ensuring ethical supply chains, creating sustainable jobs as well as provision of step free access to all the 37 Crossrail stations. The excellent rating achieved by some stations such as Whitechapel has been because of benefits of those related to a) environment such as reduction in excavation, increase in day light levels and provision of bio-diverse green roof; b) economic such as regenerating High Streets, optimizing footfall and journey time; and c) social such as improved accessibility, intuitive way finding and inclusive design.

Can you please explain the relevance of 'Technology' in this project?
The stations have been designed to combine the latest station technology with tried and tested engineering solutions. Among a number of advanced technologies adopted, the PES (Platform Edge Screen) wall – between the platform edge and the railway track - has been conceived as a 'hard-working' service wall which will integrate the platform services equipment requirements in order to keep the tunnel wall cladding as a clean and simple back drop for the wayfinding signage. It is seen as a sleek, ephemeral, high technology element that can be easily updated and improved with the new technologies emerging throughout the life of the station. The technology wall will provide the departing passenger with information relating to their journey through integrated digital customer information systems, clocks and line maps. The design of the technology wall and the consistent platform and internal station aesthetics will help to create a unique identity for Crossrail which will be common to both the tunnel and box stations.

What opinion do you have on the Metro Projects in India?
If you study Docklands Light Rail (DLR) in London, you will find how design and implementation of stations, public realm enhancement, spaces and uses under the viaduct, and zone of positive influence have improved with successive stations over the years. Similarly, Metro projects need to evolve to the next stage to be able to positively transform areas around their stations and along the viaduct.


There is no strategy in India for integrating Metro stations with their context that can support existing and emerging urban centres. Metro stations are often built as standalone structures needed to drop and pick up passengers rather than be a crucial part of the city's growth story. It is not entirely up to the Metro projects but is also to do with the planning and transport authorities that lack proactive approach to shape and manage the positive impact of Metro Stations. Planning and transport authorities need to grasp the potential transformation Metro Projects can bring. In countries like Hong Kong the transport authority is able to take a more strategic approach because it controls the stations and the land around them. When we have multiple land-ownership issues we need to be much more proactive. The Metro projects have a vital role in strengthening existing and emerging urban centres and leaving a legacy of new public spaces, high quality buildings and pedestrian-friendly areas around their stations.

As a country whose's major transport advancements include the Metro Rail Projects, what lessons can India learn from Crossrail. What kind of strategies should station designs have for the future?
The biggest lesson from Crossrail is to recognize the catalytic impact rail infrastructure projects bring on areas their stations serve. Through good urban design this impact can be transformed to the benefit of the wider urban context in the form of regeneration beyond the immediate context in which the stations sit. It is important to maximize the potential of the catalytic impact by integrating 'design and implementation' of stations, public realm and potential property development to optimize the social, economic and environmental benefits. The negative impacts such as the severance and physical divide caused by the viaduct along the route need to be mitigated by encouraging linkages and by creative use of undercroft areas. Whilst the infrastructure, stations and enhanced public realm provide high quality passenger experience outside the station as they arrive and leave, the greatest impact will be on the property values around stations. The value of any potential development sites under sole or joint ownership of Metro delivery agency can be optimized, which can then feed into the core project funding.


In this context, wider urban design studies if carried out jointly with key stakeholders not only establish a framework within which different elements can evolve, but also effectively provide a rational and consistent basis around which discussion and negotiation for funding and implementation can occur. In order to reinforce the above strategies and design approach, it is vital for good design to become the law as 'The 2008 Planning Act' and 'Compulsory Purchase Act 2004' have specific sections pertaining to design criteria and the desirability of good design in the UK and similar emphasis is increasingly placed elsewhere around the world. Equally important is the expertise and capacity of the client design teams and the client organization itself to lead and manage sustainable design and delivery outcomes.

In comparison to building metro stations and the infrastructure needed for them to be in operation, integration of station with the urban context bears a small fraction of their costs. However, the amount of public support gained for the contextual improvements is often high and sometimes exceeds the provision of the station itself. Public support generated by consultation and positive media coverage is crucial in publicly funded infrastructure projects and particularly when they exceed beyond several electoral terms of elected governments. Potential passengers and local communities see improvements of areas around the stations as a reward for the traffic jams, muck, dust and the disruption they have to put up with for years while the infrastructure is put in place. The old practice worldwide that the rail infrastructure delivery/operating agencies have nothing to do with the areas outside the stations has been proved redundant. It makes a compelling argument from any social, economic and environmental perspective that stations need to be integrated with their urban context, local communities need to be regenerated and potential development opportunities must be future proofed so they can be delivered later by others when the time is right.