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George Osborne will review London's flagship Crossrail project for possible efficiency savings if the Conservatives take power, senior party figures confirmed.
While the Tories clearly say the shadow chancellor will not pull the plug on Crossrail, they are not ruling out changes to cut the £16billion cost.
Mayor Boris Johnson, an avowed backer of Crossrail, today declared that he trusts Mr Osborne to go ahead with the east-west rail link, which supporters say will generate billions for the London economy. Claims that a rift was opening between the pair were strongly denied by both.
However Mr Osborne is reserving the right to "go over the plans" and is refusing to give an unequivocal commitment that it will go ahead to the same budget and timetable as currently planned.
In an attempt to reassure supporters of the scheme, Mr Johnson's spokesman said there was no need for concern. "The Mayor is confident that David Cameron, George Osborne and others appreciate the tremendous value of Crossrail, not only in terms of transport benefits it will bring but also for the jobs it will create. They cannot give a 100 per cent guarantee at this stage because they have got to look at everything when they come to power."
Mr Johnson and Mr Osborne had a "friendly" dinner with their wives, hosted by David and Samantha Cameron this week.
The Mayor is said to accept that the shadow chancellor cannot give a full public commitment to such a large spending plan so soon before an election without coming under pressure to give the same guarantees to other major spending projects. "If he went down that route he would soon be boxed in on spending," said a City Hall source. "But Crossrail ticks all the boxes for Osborne and Cameron and there is no need to worry."
Crossrail construction began last month after almost two decades of planning and delays and is due for completion in 2017.
One senior Tory insider said: "It is rubbish to say the Conservatives have gone cold on Crossrail... but there would be a review of all plans given the changed economic circumstances."
Reader views (12)
Crossrail is a wise investment and the fact that the tunnel diggings are going to help create a great nature reserve at Wallasea Island (thanks Keith for pointing out the RSPB website - I've just looked) - makes this inspired! Any Government would be mad to threaten such investment in the future.
- Ken, London, 27/07/2009 10:16
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This new extension project is not necessary. Why don't they first fix the system we have now - just the city centre they cannot get to work so why try and add to it?!??
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 24/07/2009 17:51
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"Scrap the politics and start realising Crossrail will make a small but significant contribution to get us out of this recession."
Not a small contribution, either. Lots of the 1930s Tube extensions schemes were deliberately done as counter-recessionary spending, to keep unemployment down. You also get better deals on materials and building contractors in a recession, so it's actually the *right* time to build major projects - the government is perfectly solvent as far as the markets are concerned, we can borrow the money easily because people are keener to invest with government bonds than in the private sector during recessionary periods. The real big issues in the UK are the deficit, which does need addressing, and unemployment, which is *increased* if you scrap Crossrail - all in all, I'd rather borrow money to pay people to dig useful tunnels than to sit around watching Jeremy Kyle. Maybe I'm just odd.
It's the lack of apprecation of these basic facts of economics that makes the Right in power such a frightening prospect and their online cheerleaders such obvious know-nothings.
- Tom, London, UK, 24/07/2009 16:49
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We need it, get on with it focus on cutting the money wasted on IT projects that doble in cost and turn up 5 years late?
- Dave, Madrid, 24/07/2009 16:37
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Jools - a large part of the spoil from the tunnelling is going to be used to create an RSPB bird sanctuary at Wallasea Island in essex.
Look at the RSPB website for more info.
- Keith, London, 24/07/2009 16:26
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Dear Frank, London.
I took you up on this point yesterday and it doesn't seem to sink in. We NEED this rail link, the recession will pass in time. You are being very "trash press" about this whole thing! And I am embarrassed for you.
This railway through our greatest city will be everlasting and must be built. You don't seem to realise the importance of this project. It really doesn't matter about the present financial situation - you know that by 2017, things will be totally different and should be much more fluid. In fact, the talent of people we have here will make sure it is, as long as they can commute within reasonable timescales!
Why do you oppose it? It is just political? Why don't you and others start to realise how many can be assisted by this link, how many cars it takes off our roads, how many jobs the project creates, how many jobs will be created when it is running?
I find it all very short-sighted and seems to me to be totally political. How pathetic is that, when it helps Joe Public get around Town?
Scrap the politics and start realising Crossrail will make a small but significant contribution to get us out of this recession.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 24/07/2009 13:53
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Someone on the GLA asked if it would cost a fortune in landfill charges to dispose of all the excavated rubbish. I don't know if this was factored into the overall bill for Crossrail?
- Jools, London, 24/07/2009 13:02
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This country has no money anymore for this. As I said yesterday, people need to stop complaining about overcrowding and deal with it. We will all need to work like dogs over the next decade to heal the financial wounds this government have left us with. There is no room for complainers. Move to the north if you can't hack it.
- Frank, London, 24/07/2009 12:58
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".....refusing to give an unequivocal commitment that it will go ahead to the same budget and timetable as currently planned".
In other words, the Tories are planning to do Crossrail on the cheap, and late. Either do it properly or not at all, you wasters.
We need it, just do it.
Come on Boris, you are a baffoon, but a lasting memory of you as mayor must be making sure London gets this railway, on time, with high quality and within budget (but don't worry if it goes over slightly, we wont look). Hats off if you achieve this, and I will forgive all the wallyness, promise.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 24/07/2009 11:53
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Just goes to show all their talk about high speed railways is just a lot of hot air from a party who wasted billions on privatising railways.
The big question is would Boris resign as Mayor if Crossrail was cancelled?
As for savings knowing how the tories think they would probably suggest using steam trains to save paying to electrify the line!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 24/07/2009 11:48
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Just scarp the bloody idea, we can't afford it.
- P Staker, London, 24/07/2009 11:48
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Translation of 'look for savings': 'It's dead.'
- Phil Jones, London UK, 24/07/2009 10:31
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