Ready to depart (finally): the long-delayed Elizabeth Line

After many years of laborious Underground journeys due to suspended, cancelled or redirected trains, TFL has finally introduced the Elizabeth Line.

Passengers will now have access to a service which links Reading and Heathrow Airport in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east via key stops in central London. slashing journey times across the capital.

The long-delayed project has finally been completed – at a cost of nearly £19bn – just in time to mark the platinum jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, after whom the latest addition to London’s transport network is named.

Opening on May 24th, the new service, originally known as Crossrail, is able to travel up to speeds of 90mph, making these the Underground’s fastest trains to date. It should take just 13 minutes to arrive at Ealing Broadway from Tottenham Court Road.

With a capacity of up to 1,500 passengers and 450 seats available, the 200m trains will be a unique travelling experience for Londoners and visitors alike.

Many people’s commute will be made easier, either because they use the new service itself or as it eases the pressure on existing Underground, Overground and rail routes.

Cross-city travel will be optimised as London’s train capacity rises by 10%, the city’s largest single expansion in more than 70 years.

Bradley Simmons, 23, explained how the new line allows him to re-route for his journey on his way to work which includes being caught in the usual 8am morning rush-hour.

His usual journey from West Ealing to Canary Wharf would take approximately an hour and a half, but willnow shortened to just 30 minutes.

“The Elizabeth line actually shortens my journey to work which makes my mornings less complicated and takes the stress off my back,” he said.

“This route is going to save me tons of time now because I don’t need to wake up as early or leave as early as I’m used to. I’m hoping for my mornings to be more relaxed now” He says. 

Despite the delay in the opening of the line, which was initially promised for 2018 but was put back to 2019 and then further delayed by the pandemic, it should now work in many people’s favour.

It may even help to ease the transition back to the office after two years of working from home for many.

However, not everyone is a big fan of the new line.

Luke Reynolds told me: “The money that has been spent on opening a cross-city line is quite pointless.”

As someone who uses the Northern Line every day to travel to work, Luke believes that money could have been utilised in different ways.

“I would have rather that the Northern Line was upgraded first as it’s not the most pleasant to travel on. I’m now left wondering when, if ever, there will be any changes to the other lines.”