Phil Davies, National Secretary of the GMB: “I am happy to report that the second reading of the Crossrail Bill is taking place on Monday 18 July, when the House will be asked to agree in principal to build the scheme. It is encouraging to see that the Government has fulfilled its pre-election commitment to give the hybrid Bill second reading at the earliest opportunity.
“The GMB has been a long-standing supporter of Crossrail, which will support over 400,000 jobs nationwide and add £19bn to the UK's GDP. The construction industry alone stands to benefit from 13 contracts to build the railway, each worth £300m. Thousands of engineers will benefit from this investment in skills and training. However, the investment in Crossrail will not just be in London, but around the regions. Companies which supply railway infrastructure products, rolling stock, tunnelling equipment, aggregates and so on are located all around the country.
Supporting jobs across the UK
|
East Midlands: |
16,000 |
|
Eastern region: |
11,000 |
|
Northern Ireland: |
13,000 |
|
North East: |
18,000 |
|
North West: |
34,000 |
|
Scotland: |
20,000 |
|
South East: |
14,000 |
|
South West: |
10,000 |
|
Wales: |
23,000 |
|
West Midlands: |
35,000 |
|
Yorkshire & Humber: |
30,000 |
|
London: |
180,000 |
“The transport benefits Crossrail will bring to London are well rehearsed. Needless to say, the extra capacity the scheme will bring is greatly needed and the GMB fully supports the investment Crossrail will make in London’s transport infrastructure. A recent study by the CEBR (Centre for Economic and Business Research) provides further detail on the benefits that Crossrail to each of the regions, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as to the UK as a whole.
“It is vital that progress on the Crossrail Bill is not disrupted by further debate on alternative railway schemes. Whilst their PR has in some cases been polished, these schemes have not been rigorously tested nor have their sponsors produced a credible business case.
“They face serious challenges in relation to their funding, reliability, alignment and impact on the environment. To opt for them over Crossrail would mean several years of further delay while their associated uncertainties are more properly examined.
“By contrast, Crossrail is worked up, its business case tested and proven, it is backed by Government, by business and the public, and the legislation needed for its construction is before the House and ready to make progress.”
If you would like specific information on your region from the report please contact Nick Laitner on 020 7340 6216.
