• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS

Construction starts on Crossrail

May 16, 2009 by Staff

Yesterday saw the start of construction on Crossrail, as work got underway to lay the foundations for a new station at Canary Wharf.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Mayor of London Boris Johnson were joined by business leaders for a breakfast briefing to mark the occasion.

The Prime Minister said the scheme “will not only mean faster journey times across the capital and beyond, it will also bring a massive economic boost to the city, creating thousands of jobs and adding at least £20 billion to our economy.”

Services are expected to start in 2017 with journey times  from Canary Wharf to Heathrow claimed to be just 44 minutes.

In December the City of London confirmed it will contribute £200m to project as well as seeking £150m of contributions from businesses.

Speaking at the time, Sir Michael Snyder of the City of London Corporation described Crossrail as “absolutely crucial in keeping London and the UK globally competitive”.

As yesterday’s launch Boris Johnson said: “The years of hesitation, irresolution and vacillation are over, the shovels have tasted earth and the construction of a railway that is crucial to the economic prosperity of this great city has begun.”

Backers of the scheme say it will create new jobs, including for those in some of the capital’s poorest areas.

In April Boris Johnson announced £8m of funding towards a Crossrail Tunnelling Academy in Newham. The Academy will train 1,000 people with the skills necessary for work in a variety of tunnelling roles.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Crossrail

RECENT UPDATES

Tube and rail users to benefit from Oyster weekly fares cap

Mayor and TfL call on ministers to help plug funding gap

Tube to get full mobile phone coverage from 2024

TfL says Direct Vision Standard is already making HGVs safer for London road users




POPULAR

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

Copyright © 2025 · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy