On 10 Oct, 07:40, Mwmbwls wrote:
(snip)

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...-details/Cross...

quote
(snip)
Under the deal struck with the Government, TfL will bear the risk of
building Crossrail. Mr Livingstone said he expected to have an
"intense debate" with BAA about the possible integration of the
Heathrow Express into the line
unquote

And so the Crossrail horse trading begins! Can't say I'm surprised
about the possibility that various other schemes might be shelved, as
money is going to be very tight. Nonetheless it'd still be a great
shame.

What would the benefits of ditching HEx be for Crossrail, apart from
increased passenger numbers - would it just be more capacity in the
Heathrow tunnels?


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...-details/Wrang...

quote
(snip)
Rumours that the Abbey Wood spur was secretly being postponed began
over the weekend, with some sources claiming the Treasury was
insisting on a delay to save money by shunting more than £1 billion
into a future spending round.
The spur is one of the most politically sensitive sections of
Crossrail because it will bring tens of thousands of jobs to poorer
areas of London. There was a battle over the Government's initial
refusal to fund a station at Woolwich, resulting in Labour MPs forcing
ministers into a hasty U-turn.
(snip)


I find it incredibly unlikely that the Abbey Wood branch would be
delayed, as it is the branch that would serve Canary Wharf and the
docklands via Isle of Dogs station (and Canary Wharf Ltd has already
agreed to contribute towards Crossrail too). Unless the plan is to
stop tunnelling at Isle of Dogs and terminate and then reverse trains
there?