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Crossrail Bill

This brings us to the issue of the application of the Bill to extensions. Our amendment requiring the Government to seek permission under the Transport and Works Act to extend the line to Reading after a certain period was not accepted as drafted, and we accepted that because we do not wish to delay the Bill. However, everybody who knows anything about railways regards Maidenhead as a ridiculous place at which to terminate Crossrail. I have said before that it must have one of the highest rates of employment in the country. It would mean creating a train crew depot, a stabling point and all sorts of things on extremely valuable land with the prospect of it being almost impossible to get staff, whereas going to Reading, which has already been catered for in the plans for rebuilding Reading station, makes for a much more suitable terminus. I am not seeking for any reference to that in the Bill, but rather to know the Government’s intentions. There is also a strong conflict between people who want to see Crossrail as a metro service calling at all stations between Maidenhead and the other end in Essex—