Claiming this is a vital project for London’s growth, Boris Johnson has announced his option for the route of proposed Crossrail 2 scheme which is estimated will cost around £20bn and run north-south through London.

The proposed plans for Crossrail 2, which would pass through central London via places including Tottenham Court Road, Victoria, Chelsea and Clapham Junction, will be looked at by the department for transport before being sent to public consultation.

It’s estimated if permission is granted in 2017, construction could start as early as 2019, the year after Crossrail opens in 2018.

Consultants including Arup, Atkins and Parson Brinckerhoff have alreay been approached to help develop the project by getting outline designs together for the project.

Johnson said he “got a bit of a shock to find the tunnel goes directly underneath my house”. With a central section comprising 36km of twin tunnels running from Wimbledon to Tottenham Hale and New Southgate, the proposed route runs from Cheshunt in Herts to Epsom in Surrey, and it’s being suggested that over half the project would be funded from sources other than the tax payer.

Johnson said the capacity Crossrail 2 would bring is vital to let London breathe supporting 200,000 new homes as the city's population is set to expand to 10 million by 2030.

Crossrail has been a major boon for the construction industry in the UK with large scale developments following the route of the new railway, an outcome we're likely to see with the implementation of the development of Crossrail 2.