Crossrail and London’s major future rail projects on the agenda

20 FEBRUARY 2012

The London Assembly Transport Committee will tomorrow question rail chiefs about progress on Crossrail[1] and other major projects and upgrades intended to improve rail services and boost capacity.

From 10am: Crossrail

Committee Members will question the following guests about issues including: timescales and risks; procurement and supplier capacity; the impact of construction work on local residents and businesses; apprenticeships and the skills legacy; and the challenges of linking Crossrail to existing services:

  • Terry Morgan, Chair, Crossrail Ltd
  • Andrew Wolstenholme, Chief Executive, Crossrail Ltd

From 11am (approx): Future rail

Committee Members will explore the risks and benefits of the Mayor’s proposals to take control of suburban rail routes[2]; progress on major capital projects like Thameslink and station upgrades; issues with the North London Line link between HS1 and HS2; and the potential to expand tram services.

The following guests will attend:

  • Geoff Hobbs, Head of Strategy, London Rail, TfL
  • Paul Harwood, Principal Network Planner, Network Rail

The Transport Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, 21 February from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).   Media and members of the public are invited to attend.   The meeting can also be viewed via webcast.

Notes to editors:

  1. Read our report Light at the end of the tunnel: The construction of Crossrail (February 2010)
  2. On 6 February the Mayor issued The Mayor’s Rail Vision: Investing in Rail Services in London which proposes devolving franchise control of London’s suburban rail routes to the Mayor.   Under the Mayor’s proposal, control of Southeastern and West Anglia inner-suburban services would be devolved to the Mayor as a pilot scheme.  These franchises would be optioned on a predominantly ‘gross cost’ basis (similar to current arrangements on London Overground) where a service provider is paid for service and quality standards specified by TfL.  While operators would still be penalised for poor performance, they would be protected from economic and employment fluctuations as TfL would assume the revenue risk.  London Overground ‘branding’ would be used at stations. 
  3. Read the full agenda papers for the meeting.
  4. Caroline Pidgeon AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, is available for interview.  See contact details below.
  5. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For more details, please contact Dana Rothenberg in the Assembly Media Office on 020 7983 4603/4283.  For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit, Greater London Authority, on 020 7983 4100.