Private sector must get its cheque book out for Crossrail, says Darling

The private sector has been urged to get its "cheque book out" to help fund the London Crossrail project by transport secretary Alistair Darling.

Speaking on BBC One's Breakfast with Frost programme yesterday, Darling said the radical rail initiative, valued at around £15bn, would not come cheap.

However, he added that the East-West congestion-relieving link was "essential" to the capital's future expansion, but the private sector would have to meet a significant portion of the cost.

"Crossrail is very important," he said. "We believe that it is essential for London's future expansion. The big question is how is it going to be paid.

"Which is why the next stage will be to consult on the route and then go to the people in London who yes we want to pay, and say this is the time to get your cheque book out, because it will have to get a substantial contribution from the private sector because you are talking about a project that could be between £10-15 billion in cost."

Darling denied that Crossrail could ever have been ready for 2012 and argued that to say it could was misleading.