ROYAL Assent for the Crossrail Bill given on Tuesday 22 July was marked by a visit of transport secretary Ruth Kelly and Mayor of London Boris Johnson to Liverpool Street to view a model of the station as it will look when Crossrail work is completed.

Following last October’s announcement of a secured £16 billion construction funding package by the Prime Minister, Parliamentary approval of the Bill puts the project on track for opening on 2017.

Largest addition to London and the South-East’s transport network for more than 50 years, the new line will run from Maidenhead and Heathrow Airport in the west to Liverpool Street, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf, Shenfield and Abbey Wood. The link will tunnel under central London with new stations at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon. Enabling works will take place next year, with main construction work set to begin in 2010.

Services will be provided by a new and dedicated fleet of some 600 air-conditioned coaches, lighter, more environmentally-friendly and able to
carry more passengers than current trains.

Ms Kelly said: “This landmark project is of major significance to London and the whole country. It will generate jobs and economic growth, help
re-vitalise some of our most deprived areas and deliver major improvements for the travelling public.”

Mr Johnson said: “ East Londoners will have greater access to central London jobs and their living areas will benefit from private sector housing and development investment. Crossrail even pays for itself, a cracking deal for the capital.”

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