Department for Transport

TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT 1992

The Secretary of State for Transport gives notice under section 14(1)(b), (2A), (3A) and (3AA) of the Transport and Works Act 1992 (“the Act”) that he has determined under section 13(1) of the Act to make with modifications the Network Rail (Thameslink 2000) Order (“the Order”). The Order was applied for by Network Rail of 40 Melton Street, Euston Square, London NW1 2EE. It will provide the powers they require to construct and operate the Thameslink 2000 rail enhancement scheme, which seeks to extend and upgrade the existing Thameslink network to allow for more frequent and longer trains to access 121 more stations than at present. The Order will include, amongst other things, powers to compulsorily acquire land and new rights required for the proposed works, to execute street works and to stop up streets. Copies of the Order, once made, may be obtained from the Stationery Office or through booksellers. The Secretary of State has, pursuant to section 14(1)(a) of the Act, given notice of his determination by way of a decision letter dated 17 October 2006, copies of which may be obtained from the TWA Orders Unit, Department for Transport, Zone 9/2, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DT. That letter gives the reasons for the determination and the considerations upon which it is based; information about the public participation process; and information regarding the right to challenge the validity of the determination and the procedures for doing so. The Secretary of State confirms that, before making his determination, he considered the environmental statement provided by the applicant and all objections and other representations relating to it, and that he otherwise complied with the obligations referred to in section 14(3A) of the Act. For the purposes of section 14(3AA), he confirms that the main measures to avoid, reduce and, if possible, remedy any major adverse environmental effects are those referred to in the Planning and Environmental Management Strategy, including the proposed planning conditions, the project-specific environmental guidance notes which Network Rail have produced, and the various obligations to be placed on contractors. Ellis Harvey, Head of the TWA Orders Unit, Department for Transport, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DT