£600 million London Underground Tube Extension gets Underway
"The start of a long overdue new phase of rail construction, the like of which has not been seen since Victorian times." Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London

Work has now commenced on the on the £600 million extension
of the East London Underground Rail Line in London.

The first phase of work will see the line extended from Whitechapel,
via new stations at Bishopsgate, Hoxton, Haggerston and Dalston,
to link with national rail network lines towards Highbury & Islington
and Finsbury Park.

The next phase will see the line extended southwards in two directions
towards Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and West Croydon.

Work on all the lines is scheduled for completion by 2006.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London speaking at the start of work
ceremony on 5 December 2001 said

"Today heralds the start of a long overdue new phase of rail construction,
the like of which has not been seen since Victorian times. This northern
extension of the line will play a crucial role in bringing new jobs and
prosperity to north-east London.

It will be followed by other major projects including CrossRail and, in the
longer term, the Hackney-South West tube line. My aim is to increase
London's rail capacity by 40 per cent over the next ten years."

The £2.1 billion extension of the Jubilee Line in London provided
work for NDT inspectors for a number of years, a situation which
should be repeated with the construction of this new line.

The 'TransportforLondon' website has a map of the new extension
route. Click here to view