Boris Johnson’s powers of persuasion have once again wooed George Osborne. In today’s spending review, the Chancellor has put aside £2 million to investigate Crossrail 2 — a new underground line for London. The fact the Mayor was able to bag another win from Osborne — Crossrail 1 was protected from funding cuts in 2010 — is testament to the political power of both the Mayor and the capital. Boris doesn’t even have re-election to think about this time.
Crossrail 2 is key to Boris’ London legacy. His grand 2020 vision is peppered with references to the new line, which he claims is vital to London’s future and work could even begin alongside the current Crossrail project:
‘It would galvanise economic activity in that quadrant of London, while bringing simultaneous and symmetrical improvements to Hackney and other parts of north east London. The question about Crossrail 2 is not whether it should happen, but how quickly we can get it moving.’
His wish has been granted.
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