Responding to the official launch of the Elizabeth line this morning, Nick Bowes, Chief Executive, Centre for London said: 

“The opening of the Elizabeth Line is going to revolutionise east-west journeys in London and transform the way people think about the city. Yes, it’s late and yes it’s gone over budget, and it is crucial that the mistakes made aren’t repeated on other major projects, but the fact remains it is a mammoth feat of engineering and a major boost for the city as it continues to recover from Covid. Taking 14 years from approval to opening is a stark reminder of how long schemes of this nature take to build, which is why the long-term planning for the next big schemes – be it Crossrail 2 or the Bakerloo Line Extension – is needed now, and can’t be shelved because of short-termism.”