London’s Elizabeth line railway will open on Tuesday May 24, Transport for London has announced (Jonathan Brady/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Originally scheduled for completion in December 2018 and at a cost of £15 billion, the Elizabeth line will at long last start running on May 24 after a £4 billion overspend. Is it time to put the problems and the criticism behind us and get on board with Crossrail’s arrival?
For long-suffering passengers of the overcrowded and stuffy Central line, there’s finally an alternative way to get across central London on trains that offer walk-through carriages and air-conditioning. Many journeys will be shorter in length – and there is even wi-fi access to pass the time.
With the Elizabeth line to run from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, it’s set to bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. It’s claimed it will add an estimated £42 billion to the economy of the UK.
Its green credentials have been highlighted by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who is also Chair of TfL, describing the line opening as a “landmark moment for our capital and our whole country”.
The end of the Crossrail journey is finally in sight; perhaps we should just be pleased the Elizabeth line is finally on track.
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