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Murad Qureshi believes Crossrail is essential for the future of London |
Crossrail will provide us with platform for future expansion
The ambitious rail link project will create thousands of jobs and relieve the pressure on our transport infrastructure, writes Murad Qureshi
THE suggestion that Crossrail will not benefit West End Extra readers (High cost of Crossrail, November 2) couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact there are few other areas of the capital, which will gain more from Crossrail than this area of London.
Crossrail will literally run under Oxford Street with twice the capacity of the Jubilee line and huge-capacity new stations at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street. This is a quantum leap in the transport capacity of the West End
Crossrail will bring more jobs and improve transport services and there will be no fare rises to pay for the project.
So what does Crossrail mean for Westminster and Camden residents?
Even before it is operating it will bring new jobs and provide a huge boost to London’s economy. A report for Cross London Rail Links Ltd has estimated that as many as 14,000 jobs will be created in London in its construction. This is the biggest transport infrastructure project in the UK since the Channel Tunnel and the largest addition to the capital’s transport system for more than 50 years.
Building the new Crossrail stations, tunnels and tracks will require thousands of engineers, surveyors and builders. Many more jobs will come from Crossrail because it will strengthen London’s economy, linking up the main centres of jobs and economic activity with faster journeys across the transport system.
The decision to commit to building a project of the scale of Crossrail sends a clear message around the world that London is determined to maintain its position as a leading global financial centre.
Crossrail will bring an extra £20 billion to our GDP over 60 years and make London a more competitive environment where businesses thrive, which will mean more Londoners are able to benefit from the capital’s success.
Overall, Crossrail is absolutely essential for expanding the capacity of London’s public transport network.
A growing population and a growing economy needs new transport links. In the past two years alone the capital has gained about 190,000 more people. The population forecasts in the mayor’s London Plan project the city growing by the equivalent of a city the size of Leeds or adding a borough the size of Islington every three to four years.
Crossrail will increase London’s public transport capacity by 10 per cent, helping to relieve pressure on the rest of London’s transport system. With 24 trains per hour at peak times, journey times on many routes, such as Canary Wharf to Heathrow, will be cut by nearly half.
And Crossrail means that for the first time there will be a direct rail link from Heathrow to the West End, east London, the City, Canary Wharf and the Thames Gateway. Transport for London has calculated that Crossrail will provide 40 per cent of the extra rail capacity London needs by the middle of the next decade.
So, journey times will be cut, and there will be easy access for West End Extra readers to Crossrail services, with stations at Paddington, Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road, with connections to the Northern, Metropolitan, Jubilee and Bakerloo lines.
Finally there will be no fare rises to pay it. The financial deal for Crossrail relies on £5.2 billion from government, a supplementary business rate of two pence applied for 25 years to properties with a rateable value of more than £50,000 and the fare income from passengers on the route itself. No increase in fares is required.
The decision to go ahead with Crossrail is one of the most significant decisions for the long-term future of London. It will bring huge benefits, improving our transport system and bringing more jobs. There are few in London who will benefit more than Westminster and Camden residents.
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