The project has created more than 55,000 jobs across the UK and continues to support new housing, jobs and economic growth.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said, “The Elizabeth line is the most significant addition to our transport network in decades and has proven to be much more than just a new railway – providing a crucial economic boost to the whole country and playing a vital role in drawing people back on to London’s public transport.”
On Monday, the full peak timetable commenced, marking the final milestone in completion of the Crossrail project.
As well as the 24-hourly peak trains, 16 trains per hour will run on the Paddington-Whitechapel section of the line, with more off-peak services too.
Krishna Desai, Senior Global Marketing Manager at Cubic Transportation Systems said, “A year on from the Elizabeth Line opening and it’s hard to now imagine the tube map without its trademark purple line. Crossrail has been a game changer for London travel, increasing rail capacity and reducing congestion in the capital, with an average of around 3.5M journeys being made each week.
“Covid-19 prompted seismic changes in the way we live, work and travel. No longer dependent on being in the capital, Londoners bought more than 112,000 homes outside of the city in 2021, seeking more space to comfortably work from home.
“With an increasing number of companies now expecting workers into the office a few days a week, Crossrail has provided the infrastructure for people to travel in and out of London with ease, bringing 1.5 million people within a 45-minute journey of central London.
“Crossrail has enabled the integration of the Heathrow Express with TfL’s system which has connected payments and infrastructure between Heathrow and the city. With more people now travelling internationally, customers from around the world are able to travel to and from central London with ease using Oyster, Contactless or ITSO options.
“Providing an integrated, seamless travel experience and modern fare collection system, the project has helped drive the economy both in and outside the capital, while providing a framework for future growth and innovation within transport.”
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