2.21 Kent County Council and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Complaints Commissioner16 considered that, during the construction of Section 1, Union Railways and Rail Link Engineering exceeded construction industry standards for managing community relations. These views emerged because, amongst other reasons:
■ At the highest levels of Union Railways and Rail Link Engineering, there were personnel determined to create and sustain good community relations, which was visible through various fora, such as the Planning Forum, a forum attended by representatives from Union Railways, Rail Link Engineering, the Department, the Complaints Commissioner and local authorities affected by the Link;
■ Public bodies and local communities saw that Union Railways and Rail Link Engineering acted promptly to resolve complaints and other issues;
■ Union Railways and Rail Link Engineering consulted widely with affected local communities prior to the start of, and during construction of major works, informing these communities why and how the works would progress, and explaining some of the inevitable consequences;
■ Union Railways and Rail Link Engineering prepared well thought through planning submissions that displayed a willingness to meet their undertakings to others; and
■ Union Railways manned a help line competently.
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16 The Channel Tunnel Rail Link Complaints Commissioner is an individual, with no interest in the project other than the occupied role, whose mandate is to direct construction-related complaints from the public to the appropriate party and to mediate in cases when the complainant believes that he/she has received an unsatisfactory response.