Commuters tired of battling endless disruption on the Richmond branch of the District Line were being offered solace by a London Assembly member this week, who said a solution could be in sight.

Lib Dem London Assembly member Lynne Featherstone has met Crossrail boss Sir Christopher Benson to press the case for Crossrail 2 as a way of easing problems with the troubled District line through Richmond.

Crossrail line 2 would create a new network of services linking areas of the north east and south west of London. The heart of the project is the construction of a core section in tunnel through the centre of London, between Victoria and King's Cross with an interchange with Crossrail line 1 at Tottenham Court Road, new stations at Victoria, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road and King's Cross St Pancras.

Cross London Rail Links (Crossrail) is a joint venture company formed by Transport for London (TfL) and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA).

It has been allocated a budget of £154 million by central government to carry out feasibility work and to acquire parliamentary powers for the two lines.

Ms Featherstone, vice chair of the London Assembly's Transport Policy Committee, sought assurances from Sir Christopher that a high priority would be given to building a high-speed rail link from south west London into the centre.

Sir Benson, chair of the Crossrail joint venture company set up Transport for London and the Strategic Rail Authority. He said Crossrail 2 offered hope of alleviating District Line problems. He had been asked by a number of groups to evaluate proposals.

Sally Hamwee, Lib Dem Assembly member and Richmond resident said: "Liberal Democrats will keep pressing for improvements to rail links between Richmond and central London. Crossrail 2 could be a real benefit but it seems design work is already a year behind.

"We need to see some actual delivery instead of the government's endless promises."

MP for Twickenham Liberal Democrat Dr Vincent Cable said: "Anything which improves the ease of travel into London I very much welcome.

"I believe that the real priority is to extend and improve the service from Richmond, particularly on route to Kingston through the North London Line to south west London. There is an enormous potential demand that is currently not being met."

Dr Jenny Tonge MP for Richmond Park said: "We have been talking about this for the last 20 years or so. It was first talked about in the early 1980s. It would be tremendous.

"London public transport is absolutely dreadful whichever way you go, whatever extra lines can be put in are very welcome. This Crossrail would mean much less traffic congestion, also on the roads to Heathrow as it would connect the city to Heathrow. Business people would be able to go direct to the airport from the train rather than getting a car to take them which would have tremendous value. I am very enthusiastic about it."

January 29, 2003 17:00