Crossrail 2 Falls Victim To £1.8bn TfL Bailout
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Construction Enquirer.
It appears that one of the conditions of the bailout of Transport for London, is that ongoing consultancy on Crossrail 2, will be scrapped.
As someone, who lives in an area, that will benefit enormously from Crossrail 2, I still feel that this is a good idea, as for the last few years, the transport system in East London has coped well and other improvements already in the pipeline, will keep things going until the economy recovers from the covids and a rathional decision can be made about Crossrail 2.
The Anonymous Widower 
Finally, common sense over CR2. It’s an outdated, irrelevant project – this is not the rail enhancement London needs.
Comment by Stephen Spark | November 2, 2020 |
If Crossrail 2 is not going to be built the question as to how Euston will cope when the full HS2 project is delivered and trains that currently terminate at Kings Cross and St Pancras switch to Euston Station which doesn’t have as good links to underground network needs to be addressed.
In the days of Mayor Ken Livingstone he would have no doubt had an alternative to Crossrail 2 in a drawer but I can’t imagine current Mayor Khan having this quality!
However, there is a possible alternative way of improving services at Euston Station and that’s the proposal to extend the DLR from Bank to Holborn with branches to Euston and Victoria Stations so perhaps it’s time to dust down these proposals especially as they may attract private funding from Canary Wharf eager to gain direct access to HS2 at Euston and indeed HS1 at St Pancras International.
Perhaps another alternative to Crossrail 2 would be to extend Crossrail 1/ Elizabeth Line from Heathrow to a connection with South West Train network creating part of a possible future Crossrail 2 ?
While an upgrade to West Anglia network could deliver some of the benefits of Crossrail 2 to this end of the route .
Comment by Melvyn | November 2, 2020 |
That will be the next white elephant to go or at best only phase 1 will be built to Old Oak Common so the ECML traffic will never appear
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | November 2, 2020 |
HS2 will be built to Euston Station as that’s where the the trains passengers travelling from central London have used since the 1830s it’s simply getting two extra tracks just like nearby King Cross Station which is more fortunate than Euston in having an unused 3 rd tunnel with space for two tracks with ongoing works to reinstate these tracks !
Order for TBMs for tunnels to Euston has been placed and redeveloped Euston area will raise billions in property development just like at nearby Kings Cross St Pancras following construction of HS1
Comment by Melvyn | November 2, 2020
I don’t have the figures at present but it will be somewhere like 10-15 tph between Old Oak Common and Euston, so the Euston area could have very good connections to Heathrow via Old Oak Common. It will be ideal for property development.
Comment by AnonW | November 2, 2020
Have you read this on this web site, that I wrote nearly three years ago? I shall be updating it to reflect today’s situation.
https://anonw.com/2018/01/22/crossrail-2-review-prompts-fresh-delays/
Just off to take a few pictures, as i think Network Rail may well have got out Baldrick’s book of cunning plans.
Comment by AnonW | November 2, 2020 |
I read it originally and have jus reread and agree that getting crossrail 2 as a single project is far more difficult than Crossrail 1 was because of its cost and length of tunnels.
I also think that while Boris Johnson is trying to blame Mayor Khan for cancelling Crossrail 2 the real reason could be the promised new high speed west to east line from Liverpool to Leeds and ECML a project that didn’t exist a few years ago and has far greater political clout given the need to retain seats gained in last election compared to along Crossrail 2 where Conservatives hold very few seats !
Parliament can only handle a limited number of infrastructure bills and those linked to HS2 and High Speed North take priority.
Hopefully a case can be made to better integrate Euston and Kings Cross Underground Stations as part of HS2 rebuilding of Euston by construction of a linked sub surface station as planned for Crossrail 2 providing direct links to HS1 and HS2 from tube platforms.
Comment by Melvyn | November 2, 2020 |
I agree with the political side, but I suspect we both agree that Kings Cross Square and the other space between Kings Cross and St. Pancras have both been a success. Some years ago I wrote a piece, where I suggested signposting a walking route between St. Pancras and Euston, which has now been done. I wonder, if some form of people move could connect all three stations going on the walking route and to Kings Cross. Designed properly and perhaps pulling up in the front of the enlarged Euston, it might just work.
Comment by AnonW | November 2, 2020
[…] Note that this document was written in January 2018 and I gave it a serious rewrite in November 2022, to reflect the scrapping of all further work on Crossrail 2, which I wrote about in Crossrail 2 Falls Victim To £1.8bn TfL Bailout. […]
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