Region welcomes Crossrail commitment

THE region's business and political leaders welcomed last night fresh signs of the Government's commitment to the Crossrail scheme, which will link East Anglia with central London and Heathrow Airport.

The Queen's speech revealed the Government was bringing forward the Crossrail Bill, which could see trains operating 24 services an hour in peak times running from the west of the capital, through central London to the east of the city.

The project will not be ready in time for 2012, but business leaders and rail campaigners reacted positively last night to fresh moves to bring it closer to completion.

Bob Feltwell, chief executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: "Suffolk Chamber has fully supported Crossrail and the concept because it will greatly increase the opportunities for business in Suffolk to get to that part of the UK.

"We are very restricted at the moment having to go just to Liverpool Street. It's something we would like to see built as quickly as possible and are very pleased the Government is putting its weight behind it."

Lord Hanningfield, Conservative leader of Essex County Council, was disappointed the scheme would not be complete before 2012.

"Travelling is a very time-consuming and costly exercise. For us to be able to link up with Heathrow and western rail links is imperative if our economy is really going to prosper," he added.

"I would like to see it now really. We have been promised all sorts of things before. I will believe is when it happens. I am rather sceptical over whether the Government will have found the money for it."

From East Anglia, Crossrail will run from Shenfield near Brentwood, using the main line tracks towards London before plunging into a tunnel at Stratford to stations at Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and Paddington, emerging at Acton to join the Great Western lines to Maidenhead in Berkshire.

A spur for Heathrow airport will run from Hayes and Harlington in Middlesex.