The Office of the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner today announced that Stephen Jolly has been appointed as the new Commissioner. Mr Jolly will take up his new post on 19 March 2012.

The Crossrail Complaints Commissioner assists members of the public who feel they have not been able to satisfactorily resolve issues around building work directly connected with Crossrail.

Stephen Jolly said: “I’m delighted to be taking up post as the new Crossrail Complaints Commissioner. Crossrail is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK with extensive construction planned to take place across London and the south east. The role of the Complaints Commissioner is to act as an independent mediator in unresolved disputes between Crossrail Limited and members of the public.

“I would like to thank my predecessor Tony Gregory for his work in establishing the office and overseeing its work over the last two years and also Bernard Gambrill who has been acting as the experienced Interim Complaints Commissioner.”

Tony Gregory took up post as the first Crossrail Complaints Commissioner in January 2009 but stepped-down in October 2011. The role has been filled on an interim basis by Bernard Gambrill.

Stephen Jolly has been the Transport Stakeholder Relations Manager with the Olympic Delivery Authority since 2006. Previous roles include Head of Integrated Transport Projects with Cambridgeshire County Council. He has undertaken various project and communications roles with London Underground and Docklands Light Railway during the 1980s and 90s, including six years with the Jubilee Line Extension project. Stephen is a reservist with the Royal Air Force.

The Complaints Commissioner reports to the Crossrail High Level Forum (HLF).  The HLF is jointly chaired by the Minister of State for Transport and the Mayor of London and meets on an annual basis as a consultative forum for discussion with local authority leaders regarding the organisation, methods, objectives and timetable for the development of Crossrail.

The role of the Complaints Commissioner is to act as an independent mediator in unresolved disputes between Crossrail Limited and members of the public, where Crossrail Limited’s response to a complaint about construction issues has been deemed unsatisfactory.  The objective of the office is “to seek fair and independent resolution of complaints”.

Residents inconvenienced as a direct result of Crossrail construction work are invited to approach either Crossrail or their contractors directly for resolution in the first instance.

If they feel their complaint has not been dealt with properly they will be invited to contact the Complaints Commissioner who will arbitrate in any dispute. The Commissioner will also advise Crossrail how to reduce the instance of complaints.