Crossrail 2 route from Cheshunt to Epsom goes in for safeguarding

The preferred route for Crossrail 2 has been set out by London Mayor Boris Johnson and plans will be submitted to Government for safeguarding for future development.

Jackie Whitelaw
28 October 2014

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The Mayor, along with Transport for London and Network Rail, are requesting safeguarding for the regional option for the railway which would link Cheshunt in the north with Epsom and Surbiton in the south. It would run via a central section from Wimbledon to New Southgate and Tottenham Hale.

"The arrival of High Speed 2 in the early 2030s will result in particular pressure on the London Underground network, with potential for 30 minutes of queues at Euston to access the Victoria Line in the morning peak without Crossrail 2."

Half the cost of the estimated £20bn railway would need to be met by Treasury with the other half funded by the capital.

By 2050 the demand for public transport will have increased by 60 per cent on the Underground and 80 per cent on the national rail network compared to current levels, the Mayor said.

The arrival of High Speed 2 in the early 2030s will result in particular pressure on the London Underground network, with potential for 30 minutes of queues at Euston to access the Victoria Line in the morning peak without Crossrail 2.

Crossrail 2 is also designed to address rail capacity constraints in the south-west, as well as providing vital new connections across the capital to help to support economic growth, providing opportunities for thousands of new jobs and homes.

The Mayor said he was confident that, as with Crossrail 1, London could in the right circumstances contribute well over half the cost of Crossrail 2, reducing the demand on the UK taxpayer as a whole. And, if the pattern of Crossrail 1 were followed, over 60% of the contracts would be with suppliers outside London, many of them small and medium-sized businesses.

Crossrail 2’s benefits will be felt far beyond the capital, the Mayor said. Passengers on mainline trains travelling in to Waterloo from as far afield as Portsmouth, Southampton and Basingstoke will also benefit from the new rail line, which will relieve congestion at Waterloo by diverting suburban services into a new tunnel under London.

Based on consultation responses, TfL and Network Rail have identified a preferred route for safeguarding, with a north-east alignment via Dalston, but with a safeguarded spur to Hackney Central that could be extended further eastwards at a later date. 

Johnson said: “Crossrail 2 is a vital project not just for the capital, but also for the regions from which people travel in to London on packed trains each day of the week. For the capital to remain globally competitive there needs to be continued investment in our transport network and that’s why we have to get cracking on planning for Crossrail 2. It’s an essential infrastructure project that will deliver thousands of new homes and jobs, as well as helping to keep our great city moving.”

Michele Dix, TfL’s managing director for planning, said: “The results of the second consultation held earlier this year showed widespread support for the new rail link. We need to continue to move forward with this scheme to identify funding options and safeguard the route, which will benefit London and beyond. Working collaboratively with Network Rail the next stage of work will look at the route and stations in more detail, engaging further with the local authorities, communities and other key stakeholders along the route.”

The Department for Transport (DfT) will consult on proposed changes to the safeguarding, updating the previously safeguarded Chelsea – Hackney line, which dates back to 1991. The consultation will engage with the relevant local planning authorities and will also inform occupiers whose land and property is within 200 metres of land that may be needed in the future. Subject to the outcome of the consultation process, the Secretary of State will issue a Safeguarding Direction for Crossrail 2 in 2015.

The next steps for Crossrail 2 after that will be a consultation on a single preferred route option and station/worksite locations from September 2015. More detailed design will then be needed and an Application for Powers to build could take place in 2017 with the railway being operational by 2030.

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