The Government is expected to give the go-ahead tomorrow to the £10 billion cross-London Crossrail scheme as part of a major announcement on transport strategy.
But Crossrail, which has been talked about for years, will NOT be ready for the 2012 Olympics and could not be up and running before 2013 at the earliest.
Linking Richmond, Kingston and Heathrow to the south and west of London with Shenfield and Ebbsfleet east of the capital, Crossrail will be a mainline service which will be mainly privately funded.
It will run through tunnels in central London and provide links with key Tube stations such as Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Liverpool Street.
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling is expected to say tomorrow that the Government would support a hybrid Bill which will enable the scheme to take off.
It is not yet known just how much public money will go into Crossrail. It is understood that finances are yet to be sorted out, with Whitehall still in discussion with various City organisations.
Monday July 19, 2004
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