Crossrail: "A signal of our faith in the future"

Boris Johnson and transport minister Andrew Adonis stood among a small crowd on a platform in West India Dock, hands hovering over a large red button.

As another huddle watched from a blue-carpeted spot on the north bank, those hands pressed downwards, and a huge Japanese "silent pile" bore into the dock with a deafening screech, which then dwindled to a busy hum.

In that applause-sprinkled moment, one of the world's biggest transport projects began in Canary Wharf.

Crossrail will run 118km from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the West to Shenfield in the East, with an off-shoot running through Canary Wharf. Today, work started on the former Isle of Dogs station, renamed Canary Wharf Crossrail Station at the behest of Canary Wharf Group, who will supervise the building and design of the £500m multi-storey hub.

The Crossrail Bill received Royal Assent last summer, and trains are expected to begin taking passengers from 2017. Its importance to London was highlighted by the number of familiar faces that turned up at the East Wintergarden podium on Friday morning, from Canary Wharf Group chief executive George Iacobescu to Britain's leading politician Gordon Brown.

Crossrail has endured a history blighted by hold-ups, and many feared the current recession could again derail the huge project.

Rumours circulated that the Conservatives may consider putting it on hold during the downturn, while debate raged over whether businesses should be able to vote on whether they should contribute to the cost through business rates.

The Prime Minister said: "We're not going to allow barriers to get in the way of important projects moving forward.

"This is going ahead as a result of a the collective decision of a large number of people and we're not going to fail to invest in the future because of the economic difficulties we face.

"This is a signal of our faith in the future. The biggest infrastructure project in the country starts now."

Mayor Boris Johnson was similarly optimistic about the future of the rail link, and was keen to highlight its importance to the capital city.

He said: "One of the reasons people's journeys are cramped and sweaty on the tube and railway is that in the last recession, the Government made the cardinal mistake of cancelling Crossrail, and we must not make that mistake again today.

"We're united in our belief that this is the right project for London. It will bring jobs and growth.

"The message for Gordon Brown is that you may think you're in a hole now, but when you're in a hole as big as Crossrail, it's vitally important to keep digging."

Canary Wharf Group chief executive George Iacobescu hailed the event as "the birth of the most exciting infrastructure project in the UK".

He said: "The story of cities is the story of transport. Transport created enormous value but its nature dictates that it takes a long time to deliver. In 1904 a similar railway was proposed by royal commission.

"Crossrail is not just about anticipating future demand from the next generation. It's about catching up with the demand that's already here.

"I don't want to say that Crossrail is the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's a hopeful ray of light made all the brighter because it's shining through the dark clouds of recession and pessimism."

Crossrail chief executive Rob Holden - who supervised construction of the Channel Tunnel rail link - said: "Projects such as Crossrail are more than just transport projects. I'm sure there are many places that will benefit from the regeneration that Crossrail will bring.

"This project is gaining momentum to the point where decisions will not be able to be made to terminate it. We will complete in 2017, and we will be on budget.

"The enthusiasm for this project is second to none. We'll deliver something London and this country will be proud of."