Crossrail

[oily oaf]

After 750 years in the planning stages Crossrail, a combined underground and mainline line rail link across London costing 16 billion sovs has finally been given the green light by HM Government.
Now before people the length and breadth of Britain start banging on about how "London gets everything" can I just say 2 things?

a) It's not my fault

and

b) I'll be dead before it's finished


Oh and anything that gives the ailing and much maligned engineering industry in this country an almighty shot in the arm and creates 30,000 new jobs is OK by me.

As you were

[Drew]

I heard somewhere that there'd be 24 trains an hour, that's alot of trains!

[jim mcglinchey]

El Gordo can rely on your vote then Oily?

[oily oaf]

I heard somewhere that there'd be 24 trains an hour, that's alot of trains!

An understandable but key error there Drew old chap.
What they said was you'd be 24 hours in a train.


Jim. Arf! Listen mate if you sliced me up like a cucumber, and many have tried btw, you'd find "Vote Labour" stamped all the way through like a stick of Southend rock

(doffs red beret and raises clenched fist into air)
FREEDOM FOR TOOTING!

[Curryhead]

(doffs red beret and raises clenched fist into air)
FREEDOM FOR TOOTING!

don't wish to be picky here Oily, but Wolfie Smiths beret was black, and he was'nt really from Tooting, hes from Ilkeston, right here in the very heart of Derbyshire

[Mark]

The thing that gets me is that Manchester and Leeds were both wanting relatively small amounts of money for their tram systems and they were refused. But this gets the go ahead.

[Dave B]

Because it will cut eight seconds off the journey time from Heathrow to the 2012 Olympics, of course

[Hazell B]

.... creates 30,000 new jobs .....

What a load of utter and complete poo

30,000 new jobs from a simple rail link? I don't think so. How do they come up with these figures, I wonder?
Even if it's anywhere near true, wouldn't all those people wanting homes just add to the high cost of living in the areas that are already too costly to buy a home in? Why not stick those new jobs somewhere that could do with a boost (where was that ex-Rover plant, again?) and halve the cost of building a new rail link there?

Sorry Oily, but from where most of the UK is looking, it's a heap of cash for something we don't want or need. Rather like everyone having to put a fiver in for a present when an already overpaid boss we don't like is leaving :

[LiamM]

don't wish to be picky here Oily, but Wolfie Smiths beret was black, and he was'nt really from Tooting, hes from Ilkeston, right here in the very heart of Derbyshire

If your gonna spilt hairs like that, Ilkeston isnt in the heart of Derbyshire, and if you ask Mr Browns Office of Statistics, it's apparently in Nottingham

Back on topic do we really need this? I took a trip to London recently, got myself an Oyster card and the buses and tube worked just fine. Instead of spending £16 million on a new train line, why not spend it on the roads to help cut congestion and air pollution. Do this and new rail links not be needs 'cos people can easily catch a bus (or coach) across London

[PuddleJumper]

Because it will cut eight seconds off the journey time from Heathrow to the 2012 Olympics, of course

All well and good, except it won't open until 5 years after the Olympics. :