Crossrail to support 55,000 jobs

Contracts worth £5.5 billion have already been awarded, with 43 per cent given to businesses outside London and the South East.

Three out of five firms in the supply chain are small to medium sized enterprises.

Total funding for the 73-mile rail route from Maidenhead to east London, due to open in 2018, is £14.8 billion, with most contracts in the supply chain yet to be awarded.

Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail chief executive said: "Crossrail will not just benefit London and the South East - the project's economic benefits are being felt well beyond the confines of the M25.

"Firms right across the UK are winning business on the back of Europe's largest construction project. 

"Work is set to peak over the next two years, so it's vital that businesses continue to seize the opportunities that Crossrail has to offer."

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Crossrail is the type of project that will help the UK build a stronger economy by improving our infrastructure and creating jobs across the country.

"With over £5.5 billion of contracts awarded and 75,000 business opportunities throughout the supply chain, this is now the time for the UK's small and medium companies to capitalise."

Firms in Neath, South Wales, High Peak in Derbyshire and Darlington in County Durham are among those awarded contracts, said Crossrail.

Over 1,700 businesses have secured work connected to the project so far.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union, said: "These job creation figures show just what an impact major transport infrastructure projects can have on the economy and the government should wake up and take note.

"Thousands more jobs can be saved and created if the decision is now taken to build the Crossrail fleet in Britain."