LONDON Assembly members are calling for businesses outside London to help pay towards the �16 billion Crossrail super tube’ project. Firms along the route “should pay their fair share” to keep the scheme on track’ to open by 2017, they told Boris Johnson

By Mike Brooke

LONDON Assembly members are calling for businesses outside London to help pay towards the �11 billion Crossrail super tube’ project.

Firms along the route “should pay their fair share” to keep the scheme on track’ to open by 2017, Assembly Member Steve O’Connell told Boris Johnson in yesterday’s transport plenary session at City Hall.

“Areas outside London will benefit from having Crossrail stations,” he said. “But they will pay absolutely nothing towards it.

“I want fairness on the funding. Businesses along the route should not be allowed to freeload’ on money paid by London firms. They should pay a supplementary business rate too.”

The Mayor had already raised the issue in high-level Crossrail meetings, the Assembly heard, and promised “not to let the matter rest.” He would be making further representations to the Government.

London businesses with a rateable value above �50,000 pay a supplementary rate of 2p-in-the-� from April, expected to last 25-30 years raising �3.5 billion, around a-third of the investment needed.

Planned Crossrail stations outside London are at Maidenhead, Taplow, Burnham, Slough, Langley and Iver to the west, Brentwood and Shenfield to the east. The line through London, most of it running deep under ground, will link Heathrow Airport directly with the City, West End, East End, Canary Wharf, Stratford and Abbey Wood.