§ Lord Harlechasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their latest view on the CrossRail project.
§ Viscount GoschenWe believe that CrossRail has the potential to bring worthwhile benefits to London's transport system. As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport indicated in his recent statement in another place on Thameslink 2000, we expect CrossRail to come after the Jubilee Line Extension, Thameslink 2000, and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. That is a sensible sequence of major new rail projects for London.
My right honourable friend has therefore asked the Chairmen of London Transport, Railtrack and British Rail not to proceed for the time being with an application under the Transport and Works Act for powers to build CrossRail. He has also invited the Chairman of Railtrack to consider the project further with his board once Railtrack is in the private sector, in the light of the Government's continued firm policy that CrossRail should proceed only as a joint venture with a substantial private sector contribution.