Crossrail 2: Making tracks for the capital

with Crossrail 1. Andrew Wade reports

Crossrail 2, a landmark north-south link across the UK’s capital was recently granted £80m in development funding in the Budget, although this is a drop in the ocean next to the project’s estimated final cost of £32bn. In a time of continued austerity, figures such as this are eye-watering. However, Crossrail 2’s supporters argue that it will not only bring relief to London’s creaking transport network, it will also add huge economic value by unlocking new corridors for much needed housing and development.

Support for the project is widespread. Usual concerns have been raised about London turning into a giant building site, but, as any resident can attest to, the city is in a permanent state of flux. A key factor giving Crossrail 2 momentum has been the success so far of Crossrail 1, recently christened the Elizabeth Line. Due to open in late 2018, tunnelling was completed in June last year, and the project has been praised for the minimal disruption caused in relation to the scope of the engineering works.