Transport for London (TfL) has appointed an AECOM team that includes GVA, Weston Williamson, AHR and Turkington Martin to develop the town planning, economic development, socio-economic and masterplanning components of the plan. AECOM will advise on town planning and area masterplanning, working with the other consulting groups to look at the potential regeneration, social, economic and environmental impacts of the rail line.

Crossrail 2 is being developed jointly by TfL and Network Rail. The proposed route, which includes 36 kilometres of new tunnels under London, would link key growth areas in the north east and south west of the city to complement the east-west Crossrail 1, which is currently under construction. When open, the proposed new route will transport up to 90,000 people in the morning peak and reduce congestion across the existing rail network. The scheme will play a vital role in supporting London’s population growth, which is expected to reach more than 10 million people by 2036.

Andrew Jones, Practice Leader, Design Planning Economics at AECOM, commented: “AECOM brings its extensive experience of public transport and place shaping in London to the programme. Crossrail 2 offers the potential to drive and define the next phase of London’s urban development and deliver huge, enduring economic benefits to the city and surrounding area.”

An initial public consultation took place between May and August in 2013, and there will be further public consultations before an application for powers to build the new railway is submitted in 2017. Construction of the scheme is scheduled to start in 2020, with the line opening in 2030.

The consulting groups chosen to develop the project are all part of TfL’s Engineering and Project Management Framework (EPMF) and were selected following a competitive tendering process.

About AECOM

With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in more than 150 countries around the world, AECOM is a premier, fully integrated infrastructure and support services firm.  AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings.  The company is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government.  AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world’s built, natural and social environments.  A Fortune 500 company, AECOM companies, including URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group, had revenue of approximately $19.5 billion during the 12 months ended Sept. 30, 2014.  More information on AECOM and its services can be found at aecom.com/taiwan.