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Crossrail gets the green light
WORK on the £16bn Crossrail project has been given the go ahead after legislation went through Parliament.
The south east spur of the development will run to Abbey Wood and, following a News Shopper campaign last year, will also include a station at Woolwich.
Construction work is due to begin in 2010 and the first trains are expected to start running in 2017.
Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin, who was secretary of the all-party parliamentary group for Crossrail, said: "It's a great confidence boost to the area.
"It will transform this area in terms of travel times for people going to their jobs and will bring jobs here as well."
Legislation, first put forward in 2005, was passed yesterday (July 22), granting powers to acquire land and for Crossrail to be built and maintained.
When it is finished, the Crossrail route will run from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west across the capital to Abbey Wood and Shenfield, Essex.
Coordinator of Knee Hill-based Abbey Wood Community Group, June Milner said: "It's going to be wonderful. Having lived here for quite a few years we've seen a decline in the area.
"I think Crossrail will lift it back up - this is what everybody is waiting for."
When the project is complete, there will be 24 trains per hour in each direction through central London during peak times, with more than 200 million passengers expected to use the route each year.
Leader of Greenwich Council Cllr Chris Roberts said: "This is great news. This is one of the largest transport investments ever and will bring huge benefits in terms of jobs, homes and regeneration.
"We have a big job to do to realise the funding for the station at Woolwich but as we have already shown, we are determined to realise the enormous benefits that Crossrail will bring to the borough."
Crossrail is funded by a partnership including the Department for Transport and London's business community.
1:34pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008
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CommentPosted by: bill, dartford on 7:45pm Wed 23 Jul 08
So what about Crossrail going further S/E to Ebbsfleet. So once again people that live further than Scabby Wood miss out. We get left with South Eastern Trains, Great!!!! It goes far out in all other directions in London but stops just on the outskirt of S/E London. What do members of the government have against the people of Bexley and Dartford and Greenhithe. Dont they think we will benefit? Bring Crossrail out to Ebbsfleet and link up with Eurostar please, like originally was planned. Woolwich has got a station, so how much extra would it cost for the rest of the borough to benefit. Enough ranting from me, just peed off that we lose out again. Thank god for my car, gonna need it as public transport further than Scabby Wood is still gonna be crap!!
So what about Crossrail going further S/E to Ebbsfleet. So once again people that live further than Scabby Wood miss out. We get left with South Eastern Trains, Great!!!! It goes far out in all other directions in London but stops just on the outskirt of S/E London. What do members of the government have against the people of Bexley and Dartford and Greenhithe. Dont they think we will benefit? Bring Crossrail out to Ebbsfleet and link up with Eurostar please, like originally was planned. Woolwich has got a station, so how much extra would it cost for the rest of the borough to benefit. Enough ranting from me, just peed off that we lose out again. Thank god for my car, gonna need it as public transport further than Scabby Wood is still gonna be crap!!
Posted by: Brian Reynolds, Gravesend on 10:14pm Wed 23 Jul 08
The fact that Crossrail stops at Abbey Wood was never surprising to me. The Department of Transport always knows whats best for North Kent that's why we have South Eastern Railways and their appalling commuter services, dirty stations, and expensive car parks. This country will never properly invest in public transport that benefits the community socially as due to the bottom line, money and profit. It's not as if the south bank has many options of rail transport. If this were Germany, Crossrail would have been constructed by now and the service planned as far as Ebbsfleet and Gravesend. The next thing you will hear after a year or so of opening the new Abbey Wood station is that passenger numbers have far exceeded the forecast and we need to extend the platforms. One big embarassing joke this country is!
The fact that Crossrail stops at Abbey Wood was never surprising to me. The Department of Transport always knows whats best for North Kent that's why we have South Eastern Railways and their appalling commuter services, dirty stations, and expensive car parks. This country will never properly invest in public transport that benefits the community socially as due to the bottom line, money and profit. It's not as if the south bank has many options of rail transport. If this were Germany, Crossrail would have been constructed by now and the service planned as far as Ebbsfleet and Gravesend. The next thing you will hear after a year or so of opening the new Abbey Wood station is that passenger numbers have far exceeded the forecast and we need to extend the platforms. One big embarassing joke this country is!
Posted by: Harry, Woolwich on 12:22am Thu 24 Jul 08
What a joke crossrail not linking up with ebbsfleet yet another labour f''kup!! People traveling fropm europe and vice versa would greatly benefit from joined up links but no this would be common sence!
What a joke crossrail not linking up with ebbsfleet yet another labour f''kup!! People traveling fropm europe and vice versa would greatly benefit from joined up links but no this would be common sence!
Posted by: Can Crusher, London on 4:18pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Why make it stop at those webbed feet invested areas anyway?
Why make it stop at those webbed feet invested areas anyway?
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