CROSSING THE LINE
The Sun takes a ride on the brand new Elizabeth Line set to open in days
CROSSRAIL was given the final geen light to open yesterday as The Sun got a sneak peek of the new line.
Our team was invited to ride on the brand new Elizabeth Line which carves its way through London.
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Already affectionately called “the Lizzie line” by locals, part of the line which crosses the capital will open to the public on May 24.
When it opens in full later this year passengers will be able to seamlessly travel from Reading, Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex.
Branch lines will head towards Heathrow, while a new route to Abbey Wood in South East London will also help regenerate a long-forgotten corner of the capital.
It will slash travelling times as the sleek new railway cuts through the city in huge sci-fi-style tunnels that have been two decades in the making.
It may have cost over £19bn and opened years late but the result is a world-leading tube.
The new Paddington station, where our journey started, is as long as the Shard is tall, buried under the streets of West London.
Officials hope eventually 32 trains an hour will pass through the cavernous cathedral-like station transforming connectivity in the capital.
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The Sun was fortunate to travel on a short journey six miles east to Whitechapel - which is the only ‘Underground’ station to have an ‘overground’ rail line running under it.
Whizzing through the snaking concrete passages at 60 miles per hour, the train was near silent and, unlike other underground lines nearby, there was barely a jolt as it moved.
TFL’s Chief Operating Officer Andy Lord said the new line will be a “catalyst for the economic growth in the city at a time when we probably needed more than ever both post pandemic and with everything else that's going on.”
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He added: “It will also create new opportunities for people to visit London who haven't necessarily considered it because, actually getting from, certain parts of Essex to the West End has been pretty painful - so that's all part of it.”
Yesterday the line was officially given the green light to go ahead by the road and rail watchdog.
The Office of Rail and Road approved all Elizabeth line stations to open, apart from Bond Street which will open later this year.
Howard Smith, Elizabeth line Director, said: “With final preparations underway ahead of opening the Elizabeth line on Tuesday 24 May, we have been working closely with ORR on getting the final authorisations for our stations, trains and other infrastructure that will mean we can operate the new railway safely and reliably for all our future customers.”
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