08.02.17
London network will ‘grind to a halt’ without Crossrail 2, warns Khan
With still a few months left to go until the first Crossrail trains hit the network, London mayor Sadiq Khan has today made the case for the project’s follow-up, Crossrail 2 – without which he claims at least 17 of the capital’s Underground stations will “buckle under crowding pressures”.
Based on TfL modelling released today, Khan laid out arguments that the capital’s transport network will “grind to a halt” under the strain of overcrowding unless the government backs plans for Crossrail 2.
His warnings come as government insiders have told press, such as the London Evening Standard, that Whitehall is “going cold” on the project, allegedly citing concerns that almost half of the £32bn price tag might be at risk. While Khan guaranteed London can fund half the cost, he made clear that the government must step up to finance the other half.
In his statement the mayor reinforced the importance of the planned project, claiming that thousands of passengers arriving at Euston on HS2 services could end up losing the time saved on their journeys as they are forced to queue to board onward trains.
Without the southwest-northeast connection, he added, pinch points at Waterloo and Victoria stations risk “rush hour meltdown”. While Tube improvements and indeed Crossrail will boost capacity in the coming years, they will not be enough to cope with the expected surge in demand.
Unprecedented crowding on the Tube by the early 2030s could even cause regular station closures and delays, the mayor explained, with “five or more people standing per square metre” on some lines.
Khan is expected to outline the problem in full at London Transport Museum’s annual fundraising dinner tonight, where he will make loud and clear that the capital will face “daily closures at key stations” and put HS2’s time savings to waste as a direct result of Euston delays.
“Crossrail 2 is crucial. It’s crucial to meeting our ambitious targets for new affordable homes. It’s crucial to unlocking future economic growth in the aftermath of the EU referendum. It’s crucial to ensure that Euston station keeps running smoothly when HS2 opens, and it’s crucial if we are to prevent Waterloo, Victoria and many other stations from rush hour meltdown,” he argued in a statement.
“Half the cost of the project can be met through funding from London, but we need the government to meet the other half if we are to avoid this unbearable strain on our transport network. Crossrail 2 is the answer to help the entire country, because when London succeeds, Britain succeeds.”
According to TfL’s modelling, Crossrail 2 could increase rail capacity in the capital by 10%, thus bringing an extra 270,000 people into central London each morning peak, slashing journey times and improving connections. It would also bring more than 800 stations on the national rail network “within just one interchange”, given that it would serve stations throughout the south east and link parts of London to Surrey and Hertfordshire.
TfL is now preparing a “robust updated business case” and funding plan that it intends to submit to transport secretary Chris Grayling, who is expected to make decisions on further government support in the spring. Should he accept the proposals, construction could start in the early 2020s, with the railway operational by 2033, as outlined by Lord Adonis early last year.
(Top image c. John Stillwell, PA Wire)