Crossrail 'has made significant progress'

Date: 14/7/2011

Crossrail will help to promote fiscal growth in London and other parts of the UK, the Minister of State for Transport has claimed.

In a statement published yesterday (July 13th), Theresa Villiers said that significant progress has already been made on the project, which will stretch from Maidenhead to Abbey Wood, linking 37 stations on a route that provides commuters with a high frequency and capacity train service.

She explained that all key tunnelling contracts have been assigned and construction has reached an advanced stage at Canary Wharf Crossrail Station, while the tunnel boring machines are scheduled to begin work in spring 2012.

"As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010, the coalition government confirmed [its] commitment to the full Crossrail scheme. A re-phased programme of delivery means that Crossrail services will commence from 2018," Ms Villiers noted.

It is expected the project will not exceed £14.5 billion in total, allowing it to be delivered within its existing funding, she noted.

Posted by Mary Treen