ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

London’s transport network will grind to a halt under the “unbearable strain” of millions more passengers unless the Government jointly funds Crossrail 2, Sadiq Khan warned today.

The Mayor predicted serious problems unless the new north east to south west railway was built to provide added capacity.

It comes as Government insiders revealed concerns about stumping up almost half of the current £32 billion cost, with one claiming ministers were “going cold” on the idea.

The remainder would be funded by London farepayers, taxpayers and businesses.

Sources told the Standard there was a question mark politically about whether the whole UK could be expected to pick up such a large bill for another London project.

City Hall is concerned the Government is “dragging its feet” and urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to offer a firm commitment in his Budget.

His predecessor George Osborne gave it the green light last year but without a detailed plan for funding, timing or legislation.

Crossrail 2 would increase the capital’s rail capacity by 10 per cent – bringing in an extra 270,000 people into central London every morning - while cutting journey times.

City Hall today released TfL data to predicted “meltdown” at 17 London Underground stations – including Waterloo and Victoria - by 2030 without it.

The report said the benefits of the new HS2 line going into Euston could be cancelled out as thousands of arriving passengers would be forced to queue to get onto the Tube.

While Tube improvements and the opening of the Elizabeth line will provide extra capacity in the coming years, it will not be enough to cope with growing demand.

In a speech tonight, Mr Khan was expected to say: “Crossrail 2 is crucial to meeting our ambitious targets for new affordable homes. It’s crucial to unlocking future economic growth in the aftermath of the EU referendum.

“Crossrail 2 is the answer to help the entire country, because when London succeeds, Britain succeeds.”

However, one Whitehall insider said the project was still a long way off and that the Government’s commitment to it had not changed.