The City of London Corporation is today [24 May] celebrating the opening of the Elizabeth line which will help support the recovery of London and the Square Mile.

 

The Elizabeth line is being opened in three sections (Paddington to Abbey Wood, Reading and Heathrow to Paddington, Shenfield to Liverpool Street) with TfL expecting a full service across the entire Elizabeth line route to be introduced by May 2023.

 

Once fully open, the new London Underground line will pass through 41 stations and run for more than 100km – from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

 

The line will service two stations in the Square Mile – Farringdon and Liverpool Street. It will bring an extra 1.5 million people to within a 45-minute commute of the City.

 

The City of London Corporation contributed £200 million towards the Elizabeth line and assisted in delivering an art programme which has provided works of art in eight of the central-London Elizabeth line stations.

 

Lord Mayor of London, Vincent Keaveny, said:

 

“The opening of the Elizabeth Line – to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee – is a major boost for the Square Mile and London.

 

“Its introduction will support the capital’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and provide much needed capacity on our busy public transport network.

 

“A world-class public transport system is vital to support the return of workers to the City. The improved connectivity offered by the Elizabeth line will also make it easier than ever for people to visit the Square Mile and enjoy everything we have to offer.”

 

City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said:

 

“The City Corporation has been a long-standing supporter of the Elizabeth line and we welcome its arrival today which will enable the Square Mile and London to continue to grow.

 

“Demand for public transport is expected to grow in coming years in line with increasing appetite for active and sustainable travel.

 

“We are pleased that our investment in this project is paying off and adding momentum behind the recovery from the pandemic.”

 

City of London Corporation Planning and Transportation Chairman, Shravan Joshi, said:

 

“Today’s opening of the Elizabeth line is good news for the City of London, for the capital as a whole and for its wider impact to the South East region.

 

“City workers, residents and visitors, many of whom have recently noticed the increasing volumes of commuters on the network, will collectively celebrate the additional capacity this new line brings. 

 

“Initiatives such as the Elizabeth line and the transformation of Bank station, which is scheduled to complete later this year, are helping deliver the City Corporation’s ambitions for a sustainable recovery that will drive further investment and growth.”

 

The opening of the Elizabeth line comes after the City Corporation last week launched Destination City, a bold new vision for the future of the Square Mile that will ensure it remains a world-leading destination for workers, visitors and residents.

 

It will enhance the Square Mile’s leisure offer to increase its appeal to existing and new audiences by creating a fun, inclusive, innovative and sustainable ecosystem.