Crossrail construction has been secured through a ”16bn funding deal.
Royal Assent for the project is expected in summer 2008, with work beginning in 2010 and the first trains expected to run in 2017. Completion was previously planned for 2013.
Having this transport link will bring an additional 1.5 million people to within 1 hour of London”s key business districts, including new stations at Bond Street, Farringdon and Canary Wharf.
”During the years, passenger numbers have increased but there has been little real opportunity to properly address the issues created by such demand,” said Passenger Focus chief executive, Anthony Smith. ”Crossrail will provide much needed additional capacity for commuters along routes identified which should mean a much more comfortable journey.”
Campaign for Better Transport has also praised the Government”s go-ahead for Crossrail, but added: ”We want cities around the country to receive similar investment in high-quality public transport such as trams so that they don”t lose out to London”, said group executive director, Stephen Joseph.
”I believe this is a project of enormous importance not just for London but for the whole country,” noted UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. ”By generating an additional 30,000 jobs and helping London retain its position as the world”s pre-eminent financial centre, it will support Britain”s economic growth.”
Crossrail will add at least ”20bn to the UK economy, improve transport links by complementing existing rail services and provide a direct link with Heathrow.
Initially, Crossrail will be funded by the Government and the businesses that are set to directly benefit from the link; however, it is expected to be commercially self-sustaining once operational.
The RMT union opposes this however, with general secretary, Bob Crow, urging the Government to ensure the project is publicly run and publicly accountable. ”Crossrail makes sense from every angle”, however, ”the new line must not become a premium railway with fares too high for anyone but business people to use.”
Crow added: ”We hope the Government will use the momentum to work quickly towards a new high-speed north-south link as well”.
The current scheme is to run from Maidenhead, west of London, to Shenfield in Essex, east of London.