A HYBRID bill for the new Crossrail 2 line linking south west and north east London is unlikely to be submitted this year. London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport Heidi Alexander confirmed the delay to the London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee on 7 January.
The aim is for the new line to open in the early 2030s, concurrent with the arrival of HS2 Phase 2b services at Euston. However, following the delay to the opening of Crossrail 1, money from the Business Rate Supplement and Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy earmarked for Crossrail 2 is being diverted to provide funding to complete the Elizabeth Line. Transport for London had planned to use these funds as part of its case that London would fund half of the cost of the new line, estimated at over £30 billion, in line with a request from Government.
Ms Alexander told the committee the money earmarked for Crossrail 2 would be used as funding for Crossrail 1 ‘for a time limited period’. She emphasised the importance of discussions with Government in advance of the comprehensive spending review later this year, saying the clear priority would be to agree a route for Crossrail 2, determine whether it would be built in full or in stages and agree a financing package.
TfL Commissioner Mike Brown told the committee TfL’s updated business plan envisaged an updated Strategic Outline Business Case for Crossrail 2 being submitted in April, with the safeguarding consultation following at the end of May, leading to the start of a hybrid bill stage and a full route-wide consultation in January 2020. Mr Brown noted the National Infrastructure Commission had highlighted Crossrail 2 as a project of national strategic importance.
ARNSIDE UPGRADE
Kent boost for Cumbria: £50,000 has been allocated from the Government’s Coastal Revival Fund for the provision of a foot and cycle route alongside the Arnside viaduct on the Morecambe to Barrow route. Here Class 156s cross the river Kent on the viaduct on a perfect autumn day, 1 November 2016. Tom McAtee
