Crossrail 2 consultation opens

The results of the consultation will be released in the autumn

A public consultation into possible routes for a £12bn Crossrail 2 train line spanning London has begun.

The routes for consideration are from Wimbledon in south-west London to Alexandra Palace in the north, or Alexandra Palace and Hertfordshire to south-west London and Surrey.

It is hoped the £16bn project will be operational by the 2030s and boost the city's rail capacity by 10%.

The online consultation will run until 2 August.

It is hoped people in London and the south-east England will contribute to the consultation to establish the level of support for the project.

Boris Johnson said Crossrail 2 was essential

The two routes for consideration are known as the Metro and Regional services.

The Metro option would be an underground service between Wimbledon and Alexandra Palace, with the aim of relieving congestion on the Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.

The Regional option would run underground and overground from Alexandra Palace and Hertford East in Hertfordshire to various locations in south-west London and Surrey.

It would ease pressure on National Rail lines into Waterloo and King's Cross St Pancras, Transport for London said.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said: "With a predicted 10 million people expected to be living in London by 2031, pressing ahead with the next stage of the plan, Crossrail 2, is quite simply essential.

"In order to support this great capital's bright future, we need to think ahead and not wait until our transport arteries are clogged up and restricting jobs and growth."