Former Labour Transport Minister Lord Adonis has been named chair of the Crossrail 2 project.
Adonis is already chair of the National Infrastructure Commission and will use his knowledge and reputation to make the £32 billion project a reality.
Previously known as the Chelsea-Hackney line, Crossrail 2 plans to tunnel beneath London between Tottenham Hale and Wimbledon with the goal of improving connections for outer London commuters.
In the same way as Crossrail 1, which is now almost complete, the new project will tie the London Transport network in with the national Network Rail system.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London who is now responsible for Transport for London, put forward the suggestion of appointing Lord Adonis and was supported by the Treasury and the government Department for Transport.
Speaking about his appointment, Lord Andrew Adonis said that the Crossrail 2 scheme is vitally important and without it London will not run properly.
He said that the challenge of the overcrowded transport network is the greatest challenge London faces alongside the housing crisis and that this project will play a part in tackling both of those issues.
He continued by saying that he is very pleased to be chair of the project and that he looks forward to making it happen, while remaining involved with the National Infrastructure Commission.
Meanwhile, Khan emphasised the importance of long-term transport infrastructure as London continues to grow and as such he is pleased to have Lord Adonis at the forefront of this major project.
He said that Adonis will ensure Crossrail 2 is delivered sooner rather than later and that his experience will prove vital in getting the project in motion.
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association also backed Lord Adonis’ appointment, labelling him an ‘outstanding choice’ that shows collaboration between the Mayor of London and the Government in ensuring delivery of the scheme as soon as possible.