Environment Crossrail Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL) and is committed to implementing all the provisions in theTfL Health, Safety and Environment Policy. Our approach to the environment is set out in the Crossrail Environmental Policy and our Environmental Objectives. Noise and vibration Crossrail recognises that the route of the railway runs close to local communities and to some residential areas. Construction works and the running of an operational railway will contribute to noise in the local environment. Where the potential for significant impacts from noise are predicted, Crossrail will implement measures to control and limit noise as set out below.

Excavation and Waste Management

Crossrail has committed to limiting adverse impacts upon local communities and the environment so far as is reasonably practicable and to remove, whenever possible, excavated material by rail and water transport.

Excavated Material

Crossrail will generate 7.3 million cubic metres of surplus material. Surplus material has been categorised as excavated materials and demolition and construction waste. We have been working with WRAP and other agencies to develop a waste management strategy that is beneficial to the environment through reuse of material, in line with the London Plan and our commitments in the Environmental Minimum Requirements.

During the design process, Crossrail is continuing to minimise the generation of excavated material by adopting a rigorous value management and value engineering approach in designing the size of tunnels, shafts and stations. Crossrail main works should start in 2010 and bored tunnelling in 2011.

Wallasea Island Project

We will re-use as much of the excavated material as practicable, for example the Wallasea Island project on the Essex coast being developed by the RSPB. Crossrail material will be used to raise land on Wallasea, creating hillocks and dips into which seawater will ebb and flow. The RSPB is submitting a planning application to Essex County Council to transform Wallasea Island with Crossrail material. The RSPB's work on Wallasea is expected to take between five and ten years.

Demolition and Construction material

Crossrail and appointed contractors will use the national waste hierarchy - reduce, reuse, recycle - for sustainable waste management. Crossrail will also aim to remove excavated material by rail and water transport where practicable.

Through commitments in the Environmental Minimum Requirements Crossrail and its contractors will run construction sites which will implement waste minimisation techniques such as on-site segregation.

Transportation of materials

We are planning to remove material from the bored tunnelling operations by rail and river as far as possible. The excavated material will be transported by barge from Instone Wharf on the River Lee, Isle of Dogs station, and Manor Wharf in the London Borough of Bexley, and by rail from Royal Oak near Paddington. Material arising from the construction of stations and shafts will generally be removed by road transport. The final mode of transport will depend on the destination of the excavated material.

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