Hughes quizzes Blair on his commitment to Crossrail

11.00.00pm GMT Wed 29th Oct 2003

Bexley Borough Lib Dem London Assembly candidate Duncan Borrowman with Simon Hughes and leading London euro candidate Jonathan Fryer at Abbey Wood Station. Plans to bring Crossrail to Abbey Wood are threatened by the government.

Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes MP today quizzed the Prime Minister on whether his Government intended to axe Crossrail or provide it with the full support of government.

In Prime Ministers Questions, Simon Hughes asked if Tony Blair would give his personal vote of confidence to Crossrail so that private sector businesses would then feel confident that they could invest in the project.

Mr Hughes said:-

"With congestion increasing on London's underinvested and overstrained train and tube lines, it is vital that the Crossrail project is given the green light by Government as soon as possible.

"London is one of the few cities in Europe without an integrated transport system that gets passengers from east to west or north to south leaving many people stranded in the centre.

"Until Mr Blair, Mr Brown and Mr Darling stop their delays and dithering, then investors will fail to come forward and will leave any possible completion date later and later."