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Coalition government 'committed to Crossrail'
Wed 19 May 2010
The Crossrail scheme will still go ahead under the new government, with the new transport secretary speaking out in support of it.
Phillip Hammond stated that the project will continue as intended, but that the new Conservative and Liberal Democrat alliance was keen to keep costs as low as possible.
When the scheme was announced, it was estimated that completing the government-funded rail link will cost around £16 billion and it is planned that the network will link Heathrow Airport to Stanfield in Essex, covering a distance of 72 miles across central London.
However, Mr Hammond added that he could not guarantee that the project would be completed in time for the 2017 deadline.
Paul Irving, head of Winckworth Sherwood's Parliamentary, Planning and Public Law team, commented: "Legislation providing for Crossrail was enacted in July 2008. It will come as a relief to those who have been working on the project for many years that, despite the current financial constraints, the project is not to be abandoned."