Londoners were given a glimpse of the future as the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, and Rail Minister Theresa Villiers unveiled cutting edge designs of Crossrail stations to be built across central London and the Docklands.

An exhibition of the stunning designs, highlights the scale and extent of the new Crossrail stations at key London locations.

Over the last year some of the UK's best known architects have worked with world-class engineering firms to finalise the designs for eight of the new Crossrail stations. The results are stunning, sustainable and world-class designs of which London can be proud. The new stations will take inspiration from the past and from the local area but have a fresh modern twist. The work, at Bond Street, Canary Wharf, Custom House, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Tottenham Court Road and Whitechapel, will be on a scale not seen since the Jubilee Line Extension opened in 1999.

For passengers these new stations will deliver a vastly improved travelling experience, larger station entrances and ticket halls, more space and easy access to Crossrail and other transport services. Crossrail will boost London's rail capacity by ten per cent, delivering new journey opportunities, faster journey times and up to 24 trains per hour between Paddington and Whitechapel during the peak.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "As Crossrail moves from the drawing board to reality we can see the breathtaking benefits it will bring to our city and I'm thrilled Londoners can finally see designs of the world-class stations that we will construct. When complete they will run east to west in a solid backbone of quality infrastructure and style."

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Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said: "These designs provide a glimpse of the impressive new buildings that will welcome passengers to the heart of our capital.

"Crossrail will enable passengers to arrive at their destinations in less time and more comfort. It will create thousands of jobs and potentially generate up to £50bn for the UK's GDP.

"We are working hard to make sure that the new railway offers the best possible value for money."

Rob Holden, Crossrail Chief Executive said: "The launch of detailed designs for eight Crossrail stations in central London and the Docklands is another milestone for Crossrail and a further demonstration of the project’s continued momentum. The station designs have a critical role to play in informing the public about what Crossrail will really deliver for London and for communities along the route."

A key element of all the new station designs is to help drive wider regeneration at a number of locations including Paddington, the West End, Farringdon and Whitechapel as well as improve public areas at street-level.

Architects have used the character and heritage of the local area to inspire the design of each station and to meet the needs of local communities across the capital. They are working with local authorities along the route to make sure the benefits of Crossrail do not stop at the station entrance but are fully integrated with wider development plans.

At Paddington, a major new station for passengers will be created providing easy interchange between Crossrail, National Rail and London Underground. The major redevelopment will also deliver an improved new pedestrian entrance from the canal towpath to both Paddington mainline station and a new Hammersmith & City line station.

Custom House will be a new station for passengers in the east, acting as a gateway for London and will be the only new Crossrail station where platforms are above ground. The station will welcome passengers from nearby London City Airport as well as regional and international visitors to London’s largest conference centre, ExCeL. The station will also become a new local transport interchange between Crossrail, Docklands Light Railway and London Buses.

Whitechapel Station has been designed to feature a spectacular step-free access walkway alongside the Crossrail concourse linking Whitechapel Road to the communities in the north of the area. This will provide a free pedestrian route from Durward Street to Whitechapel Road for local residents.

At Tottenham Court Road, the new station entrances at Centre Point will be a key design feature of a new public piazza and create a distinctive new landmark for the West End. Made of glass, these new step-free entrances will open up the station by allowing natural light into the levels below.

Designers have also been appointed to incorporate architectural components that will be used throughout the platform and tunnel environments in each station to create an integrated line-wide identity. This design work encompasses wall and floor finishes, lifts, escalators, lighting and signage suitable for use in all the new stations. This systematic approach will create a unified look, maximises value for money and yet allows each station to retain its individual identity.

(CD)