Nick Raynsford, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich, has criticised the Conservative Party’s manifesto lack of a commitment to Crossrail, which raises a new threat to the Crossrail station at Woolwich which Labour has pledged to have open by 2017.

In the Tory manifesto, unveiled earlier today, the Conservatives claim to be committed to a number of transport schemes, such as to create a “high speed rail line connecting London and Heathrow with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds,” on which a new Tory government “will begin work immediately”.

But the manifesto says only that “we support” Crossrail and gives no commitment that the whole Crossrail line will be built, including the line from Canary Wharf to Abbey Wood via Woolwich. Building work at the Crossrail station at Canary Wharf has already started.

“There is increasing speculation that a Tory government want to cut Crossrail, either partly or wholly, and the lack of a commitment to completion of the whole as soon as possible is very worrying,” says Nick. “Only a Labour government is fully committed to building all of Crossrail, including a Woolwich station.”

Crossrail, a new £16 billion east-west rail link, was originally proposed to pass under Woolwich  in a tunnel without a station there, until a campaign led by Nick Raynsford and Greenwich’s Labour council got the Government to change its mind and commit to a station  Woolwich to ensure the continued regeneration of the area. Crossrail would put Woolwich just seven minutes form Canary Wharf, 22 minutes from the West End, and under an hour from Heathrow.

Last month, Crossrail was thrown into doubt as shadow Business secretary Ken Clarke raised a question mark over its funding package.

The shadow business secretary said a go-ahead could not be given by the Tories until they were in power and went over the Treasury’s books, warning: "I think the party is favourably disposed towards Crossrail but I can't say how and when we can firmly commit to the public sector contribution.”