The leaders of four councils have called on the Government to commit to an eastern phase for Crossrail 2, which it is claimed could provide a £20.5bn boost to the economy.
The councils – Barking and Dagenham, Essex, Hackney, and Newham – say this would ‘unlock the full potential for growth in East London and South Essex’.
A study commissioned by the councils uses projections on population, housing and jobs, as well as research into the benefits of taking the line through East London into south Essex.
Lord Adonis has backed Crossrail 2
It says the potential for development in the area could be undermined if it is left to rely on existing transport infrastructure.
The study recommends that the Crossrail 2 track should split after Angel Station. One branch would head north as planned, while another would go east to Hackney Central, before heading to Hackney Wick and out through Newham and Barking and Dagenham.
This line would then link to the existing Essex Thameside network, with Crossrail 2 services terminating at Basildon and Grays.
The National Infrastructure Commission’s report on Crossrail 2, published a fortnight ago, said an eastern branch ‘could in the future provide a further important contribution to the challenge of growth in east London’.
It suggested that construction of the north-western branch of Crossrail 2 should delayed, adding that this ‘would also provide the opportunity to consider the case for an eastern branch from Hackney as an alternative’.
In his Budget last week chancellor George Osborne said that the government ‘will now commission Crossrail 2’.
Jules Pipe, mayor of Hackney, said: ‘The announcements from Lord Adonis and George Osborne are hugely important endorsements of Crossrail 2, and I particularly welcome the recognition of a potential Eastern Phase.
'This would create hundreds of thousands of much-needed new homes and jobs across East London and South Essex, attracting major investment and boosting the national economy.
’We now look forward to working with the Government, the National Infrastructure Commission and Transport for London on making the Eastern Phase a reality. This new research which demonstrates the huge potential it would unlock for growth, and the threat to these aspirations by expecting the existing transport infrastructure to cope, means it's crucial that the Government commit to an Eastern Phase as soon as possible.’
The councils said the benefits of the eastern phase proposals include:
- a £20.5bn boost to the economy
- support for the expected population growth of 512,000 people
- support for the 265,000 new jobs and 233,000 new homes earmarked for the region
- reduced journey times from South Essex and East London to Central London - many by more than 50%, some by almost 30 minutes
- trains every four minutes between Barking and Hackney, and every eight minutes from Basildon and Grays
- additional capacity for 67,000 commuters during the morning peak
- relieved overcrowding on Essex Thameside Route, the District Line, the Hammersmith & City Line, and London Overground.
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