London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan has been joined in his calls for the Government to prioritise delivery of Crossrail 2 by more than 70 business leaders in a letter penned to the Chancellor and Transport Secretary.

 

Delay to the proposed north east – south west metro project would, according to the letter’s signatories, risk further overcrowding on the capital’s rail network and stunt economic growth.

 

“Serious bottlenecks at nationally significant stations like Clapham Junction and Waterloo are already intolerable and, without Crossrail 2, the journey time benefits from HS2 will be lost in queuing at Euston,” the letter adds.

 

The £33Bn scheme was not mentioned by Chancellor Philip Hammond in the recent Budget.

 

As well as providing much needed rail capacity the 72 business leaders claim that Crossrail 2 will support 200,000 new homes and the same number of jobs, boosting the national economy by up to £150Bn.

 

“Crossrail 2 is a priority project and it must not be delayed if the UK is to stay on course for a global future outside the EU,” commented professional services firm EY’s senior partner for London Caroline Artis.

 

Local Enterprise Partnership for the M3 corridor Enterprise M3’s chair Geoff French said: “Crossrail 2 is the only scheme being planned that can provide the necessary capacity and connectivity to boost our regional economy that is so crucial to the Government’s new Modern Industrial Strategy.”

 

Business group LoveWimbledon’s chief executive Helen Clark Bell added: “The prolonged uncertainty over Crossrail 2 is potentially damaging to Wimbledon’s business economy. We need a decision on this scheme so that businesses have the certainty they need to invest in this important economic centre.”

 

The Mayor of London has already committed to meeting half the cost of Crossrail 2. “What we now need is for the Government to take note of the benefits and give us the green light to progress, for the good of the entire country,” said Sadiq Khan.

 

A Government spokesman said: “We have now received the strategic outline business case from Transport for London and will carefully consider it to ensure it is robust and includes a fair, sustainable and deliverable funding plan.”

 

If go ahead is granted by Government this spring the scheme could see construction start in the early 2020s.

 

(Image: Crossrail 2)