Crossrail receives Royal Assent

9:30am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A LANDMARK project that will transform rail services in the east of England has finally got the all clear.

The Crossrail scheme, a high-speed 74-mile line running from Shenfield through London and out into Berkshire, received Royal Assent last night after three years of going through Parliament.

Trains will run at speeds up to 100mph and will receive around 200million passengers each year.

Enabling works will begin next year, with main construction beginning in 2010.

Iain Coucher, chief executive of Network Rail said: "We have a thriving and punctual railway and the key challenge now is providing more capacity for passengers. Crossrail, along with projects such as Thameslink will provide a huge boost to public transport across the capital and beyond, linking some of the UK's busiest transport hubs and adding a vast array of new journey opportunities to commuters, business and leisure travellers."

Construction is expected to take seven years and although Shenfield, as the eastern terminus of the line, is expected to see benefits once the scheme is completed, the area is likely to suffer disruption during the construction process.