Benefits for all

Crossrail will improve the lives of millions of people living, working or visiting the capital, generate new job opportunities, aid neighbourhood renewal and connect communities. It will be fast, frequent and convenient. The case for Crossrail is overwhelming, the potential benefits huge.

For the economic future of London it will:

Provide the transport infrastructure to cope with predicted population and economic growth - 40% of the extra capacity needed to support population growth of 800,000 and 350,000 jobs by 2016
Enable the extra 600,000 journeys per day that will be made by 2016, tackling the unreliability that damages productivity and relieving congestion and overcrowding
Provide a direct link between Heathrow Airport, the West End, the City and Docklands, providing extra capacity where it is needed most – to get people to work
Increase UK GDP by up to £67 billion* over 60 years - and boost Treasury tax revenues by £19.2 billion
Act as a catalyst for regeneration, supporting Government’s plans for housing growth in the Thames Gateway and providing some of the country’s poorest communities with access to jobs and other opportunities
Support the wider transport, planning, social and environmental objectives of the Government's current transport strategies, the Mayor for London's Strategies for London and the regeneration of East London locking in the legacy of the Olympic Games
Provide as many as 14,000 new jobs at the peak of the project, predominantly in construction

For passengers it will:

Relieve the congestion and overcrowding on the existing National Rail and Underground networks and support the development of a network of strategic interchanges
Slash current journey times - Heathrow to Canary Wharf will take 43 mins, Heathrow to Liverpool Street (Broadgate) will take 36 mins, Heathrow to Paddington will take 26 mins, Canary Wharf to Liverpool Street (Broadgate) will take 7 mins, Paddington to Liverpool Street (Broadgate) will take 9 mins.
Crossrail will provide a 21% increase on rail capacity to the city.
Provide new journey possibilities, improving access into and across London
Reduce the need for car journeys, thereby reducing pollution and C0₂ emissions
Improve transport and travel access for people with reduced mobility

For business it will:

Underpin growth in the major business and retail centres of London – the West End, the City and Isle of Dogs – and link them to Heathrow Airport
Provide a diverse range of business opportunities in both the construction and operational phases

* Upper range of economic forcast by some GLA/CLRL advisors