Crossrail is "a signal of faith in the future"

A major construction project to build a high-speed railway line through London is a signal of faith in the future of the UK’s economy, the Prime Minister has said.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the start of construction work on Crossrail, Gordon Brown praised the partnership between the private and public sectors that is making the scheme possible.

The Crossrail project aims to provide a high-speed railway line through London, stretching from Berkshire in the west to Essex in the east.

The Prime Minister and Transport Minister Lord Adonis were among the guests at the ceremony on Friday morning at Canary Wharf, where the first Crossrail station will be constructed.

The PM said:

“Today we are sending a message that our faith in the future is such that today, in the midst of a downturn, we are starting the biggest infrastructure project in this country - one that will serve not just London, but as a message to the whole world that we will invest in this downturn and we will emerge a stronger country as a result.”

Mr Brown added that the project was an important example of a public and private sector partnership.

BAA, Canary Wharf Group and the Corporation of London will contribute hundreds of millions of pounds towards the project, while Government and Transport for London have set up a £15.9 billion funding package to cover the costs of Crossrail.

When it is completed in 2017, the railway will run for 118km, including 21.5km of new underground tunnels through central London, and is expected to bring 1.5 million people within 60 minutes’ commute of London’s major business districts.