Posted 27th March 2014 | 6 Comments
Crossrail to be extended to Reading
THE Crossrail network is being extended from Maidenhead to Reading.
The announcement from Transport for London and the Department for Transport has confirmed years of speculation that Maidenhead was not the ideal western terminus, particularly as Reading is a key hub on the Great Western network. The major remodelling still in progress at Reading was planned with such an extension in mind.
Crossrail trains will also now serve Twyford, which is the junction for Henley-on-Thames.
Rail minister Stephen Hammond said: “Crossrail reaching Reading is further proof of our commitment to deliver a transport network fit for the 21st century. It will improve connectivity and deliver greater choice and convenience for passengers travelling into London. It will also make better use of the already congested Great Western Main Line, freeing up capacity for further improvements including potential direct services from Reading to Heathrow as part of the Western Access Scheme. In addition, I have requested Network Rail to look at the cost benefit analysis of increasing the number of faster trains between Reading and Paddington.”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said: “I am thrilled that the people of Reading and Twyford will be able to take advantage of Crossrail, putting them on the doorstep of London’s main employment centres by directly linking them to the City and West End in world-class style.”
London Underground and London Rail managing director Mike Brown added: “Extending Crossrail to Reading will provide passengers with more journey options and will create better connections and direct services between Reading, Twyford and destinations across London without the need to interchange at Paddington.”
Labour shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh said: "Labour in government safeguarded the potential Crossrail route from Maidenhead to Reading, so we welcome the decision."
TfL and the DfT also said there will be no change to the planned Great Western services from Reading to London with twice hourly semi-fast services and fast main line services continuing to operate and call at the same stations as today.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Andrew Gwilt, Wickford
Yes now Crossrail has been extended to Reading. What's next??
Crossrail to operate to Greenford via West Ealing and extension for Crossrail to be extended to Dartford or Gravesend aswell possible extension to Southend Victoria and Wickford.
Tony Pearce, Reading
Totally expected with Readings new large electrified Maintenance Depot (I know the wires don't go to Paddington yet). We have 2 Tory marginal seats in Reading and this was always a completely sensible option. The surprise is that they didn't announce it nearer the General Election
Windsorian, UK
2tph Maidenhead / Reading looks like a stepping stone prior to a 4tph T5 / Reading WRAtH / WRAP service being introduced; worth remembering XR will not reach Maidenhead / Reading until December 2019
Lorentz, London
Reading was always an option, but the working plan started with Maidenhead as the western terminal with extension to Reading being authorized once funds could be committed to the project. This is ot politica, this is how projects are funded and authorized.
Chris Neville-Smith, Durham, England
"I have seen suggestions that Crossrail could be linked to WCML to allow diversion of trains that now run to Euston to run onto Crossrail releasing capacity and space for HS2 trains at Euston ."
As I understand it, this is part of plans for what to do whilst Euston is being rebuilt. Classic platforms at Euston will go down from 14 long + 4 short to 13 long. Once HS2 is up and running, there should be no trouble maintaining the LM + residual WC service on 13 platforms, but maintain the current level of service during construction is iffy.
There are various options being mooted, which are:
1) Reroute overground services on to the Bakerloo line,
2) Divert some more LM services on to the line through Kensington.
3) Build a link to the GWML to divert some LM/Overground services that way, effectively making it an extra branch of Crossrail.
Or it might turn out none of these will be necessary if turnaround times at Euston can be kept down. Or they might be implemented regardless as I knwo at least one of these was being mooted before HS2 came along.
Anyway, we'll see.
Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Its worth remembering that Reading was the original. planned terminus for Crossrail but an earlier Tory government cut it back to Maidenhead as a cost cutting measure is I would take all these thrills with a pinch of salt!
It's the GWR electrification and rebuild of Reading Station with provision of platforms for Crossrail that have lead to this decision that is long overdue and just looks like politicians trying to take credit by delaying tactics.
However, unless you turn up when a Crossrail train is due the half hourly service does not look that attractive and suggests all four trains should have been extended to Reading . Alternatively given Twyford is the junction for the Henley branch why not extend Crossrail to Boris old constituency and bring the benefit of through Crossrail services to even more passengers?
I have seen suggestions that Crossrail could be linked to WCML to allow diversion of trains that now run to Euston to run onto Crossrail releasing capacity and space for HS2 trains at Euston . But surely doing this would reduce interchange to HS2 given Crossrail 1. does not serve Euston .