Crossrail 2

[Fazaar1889]

Now that the Elizabeth line is almost 100% open, will plans for Crossrail 2 start soon? What has been confirmed and what do you hope will come?

 

[swt_passenger]

Now that the Elizabeth line is almost 100% open, will plans for Crossrail 2 start soon? What has been confirmed and what do you hope will come?

It’s postponed indefinitely. Nothing will happen “soon” at all.

 

[Fazaar1889]

I'd personally like Crossrail 2 to start as far out as Woking or even Guildford considering they're basically the main hubs of Surrey.

 

[swt_passenger]

I'd personally like Crossrail 2 to start as far out as Woking or even Guildford considering they're basically the main hubs of Surrey.

That was never part of the published plans. CR2 was all about taking over the branches joining nearer London, eg trains running on/off the mainlines at Raynes Park, New Malden and Surbiton.

 

[Fazaar1889]

That was never part of the published plans. CR2 was all about taking over the branches joining nearer London, eg trains running on/off the mainlines at Raynes Park, New Malden and Surbiton.

Aw no. It would have been nice tho. Crossrail 1 goes all the way to reading so I had expected no 2 to extend deep into Surrey.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2022 ==

It’s postponed indefinitely. Nothing will happen “soon” at all.

Why is this? Why is it postponed?

 

[swt_passenger]

There is no money. Decision was made in November 2020 to reduce to safeguarding and end all consultancy work:

The funding agreement with the Government of 31 October 2020 includes a commitment by TfL in relation to Crossrail 2 that TfL “prioritises safeguarding activity and brings an orderly end to consultancy work as soon as possible. DfT will support such safeguarding activity for this project as required.”.

We will work to help the Secretary of State refresh the safeguarding directions in order to safeguard the scheme’s latest proposed route from future developments. We are in discussion with DfT on the likely timetable for this work. We will also continue to work with stakeholders whose developments are affected by the safeguarding so that we can continue to protect the route until such time as the railway can be progressed.

Given TfL’s current finances and the lack of a viable funding package for the scheme at the moment, we are not in a position to confirm when our work on seeking consent can restart. Crossrail 2 will still be needed in future to support London’s growth and we have clearly demonstrated the case for the scheme. The project has been put in good order, ready to be restarted when the time is right

Crossrail 2

Crossrail 2 would link national and international networks across London and the South East of England

crossrail2.co.uk

 

[JonathanH]

I suspect that this part of that quote has moved on.

Crossrail 2 will still be needed in future to support London’s growth and we have clearly demonstrated the case for the scheme.

One issue now though is that while the justification for Londoners to have a new line may not have diminished that much, the need to free up capacity at Waterloo is completely blown. This makes it extremely difficult for the DfT to justify its share of the cost. TfL has no chance affording it on their own.

Come back a long time from now. Maybe.

I suspect it has gone a long way down the priority list, certainly below the items in the Integrated Rail Plan that represent pretty much all railway infrastructure spending for the next three decades

 

[Fazaar1889]

There is no money. Decision was made in November 2020 to reduce to safeguarding and end all consultancy work:

Crossrail 2

Crossrail 2 would link national and international networks across London and the South East of England

crossrail2.co.uk

Thanks

 

[D365]

Aw no. It would have been nice tho. Crossrail 1 goes all the way to reading so I had expected no 2 to extend deep into Surrey.

Crossrail only goes to Reading because it makes more sense as an interchange, rather than having to provision a Maidenhead to Reading shuttle. In particular, the extension to Reading removed the need to build carriage sidings at Maidenhead.

 

[JonathanH]

In particular, the extension to Reading removed the need to build carriage sidings at Maidenhead.

There are six sidings at Maidenhead. It avoided having to change the layout at Maidenhead to allow a shuttle from Reading as you say.

The issues of false termini are not such an issue in South West London, although it could be argued that Epsom is a false terminus now that SWR don't run separate terminating services there.

 

[D365]

There are six sidings at Maidenhead. It avoided having to change the layout at Maidenhead to allow a shuttle from Reading as you say.

Thanks for the correction - I should have checked cartometro.

 

[Recessio]

Seems like TfL are far more focused on getting the Bakerloo line extension started rather than Crossrail 2.

 

[SynthD]

Seems like TfL are far more focused on getting the Bakerloo line extension started rather than Crossrail 2.

I think the Bakerloo project is smaller in what needs to go through Parliament. Is it just a Transport Works Act Order, rather than a whole hybrid bill with consultations and effects outside of London?

 

[Mikey C]

And the Bakerloo line project is very much a London project, whereas CR2 has wider scope including freeing up space at Waterloo.

 

[Hadders]

The country's broke. Nothing will happen with Crossrail 2.

Personally I doubt anything will be seen until at least 2050.

 

[Thirteen]

I think after spending so much time and money on the Elizabeth Line, TfL probably wants to focus on smaller projects, new Bakerloo Line trains and the extension is more likely within the next decade or so.