By early 2019, we can expect the Cross-Rail scheme to come to Ealing. It will be located at Ealing Broadway station, in the centre of the bustling town centre. One commuter I spoke to said that he is “very excited” for the new scheme to be implemented. The scheme will likely make a huge difference to commuters, who work in central London, with the commute from Ealing Broadway Station to Bond Street station, scheduled to take 11 minutes. This is a vast cut down, from the nearly doubled time that it takes to get to Bond Street from Ealing on the tube. Additionally the line will run to all parts of Greater London, including a short journey to Essex and to Stratford. As well as bringing advantages to Londoners, Cross-Rail can also bring advantages to tourists, with a short train from Heathrow. Cross-Rail can also aid London’s bid to hold more major sporting events, such as the Olympics in 2012 and the Rugby World Cup in 2015. 

Despite the large decrease in commute times, there are some downsides to the Cross-Rail scheme. For example, house prices in Ealing have already begun to rocket, with this trend predicted to continue into 2019. This means added housing crisis, with the average age that young people will be able to own their first property, gradually increasing.