Today's Evening Standard reports that an incoming Conservative Government could yet postpone or cancel the Crossrail project if elected next year.
Work on Crossrail - which will link Maidenhead in Berkshire with East London and Essex - is not due to begin until the end of next year, so David Cameron could feasibly stop the project before much more is spent on it (already £254 million has been spent on feasibility and development work).
The lion's share of the £16 billion budget is due to be underwritten by Transport for London (£7.7 billion) and the Department for Transport (£5.6 billion), with far smaller amounts coming from Network Rail, the City Corporation and Canary Wharf Group.
The Standard reports confusion on the Tory position on the matter:
In addition, Boris Johnson, whilst supporting the scheme in principle, has reportedly clashed with the Government over a levy on London businesses to raise £3.5billion of the TfL funding of the project.
Saving id: Ending Crossrail
Total saving: c£13bn
Traffic light status: TBD
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Previous idea for saving: (10) Scrap Regional Development Agencies
