Rail investment unveiled PIC: David Cheskin/PA Wire

Huge shot in arm for London rail infastructure projects

Monday, July 16, 2012
12:23 PM

A major injection of cash has been unveiled into transport projects in London, including Crossrail and Thameslink.

Government announced a £9bn, nationwide scheme today (Monday). The capital city is set to get the funding from 2014 until 2019.

Crossrail and Thameslink are not the only infrastructure projects in London to benefit from a Whitehall handout.

Also in the pipeline are upgrades to the East Coast Line from London to Leeds and Newcastle, as well as electrification of the lines to Bristol and Cardiff – in Wales.

But rail fares will shoot up by three per cent above inflation, it was announced.

Last year, prices rose by one percent above the baseline figure.

Prime Minister David Cameron called the scheme “the biggest modernisation since the Victorian era.”

“From Crossrail, high-speed rail and now the billions of pounds of investment we are announcing today, this Government is committed to taking the long-term decisions to deliver growth and jobs,” said Mr Cameron.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT transport union, said: “What we need is investment in rail today, not yet another political promise of jam tomorrow.

“All of the rail projects on this shopping list have been talked about for years and, with the surge in passenger demand, we cannot afford further delays like the ongoing Thameslink fleet replacement fiasco.