Cross London Rail Links (CLRL) has launched 'Young Crossrail', a project aimed at involving young people in the development of the new West – East London rail link.

'Those who are growing up today will obviously be the adult passengers of tomorrow and will require to travel in reasonable comfort, particularly to and from work,' said Norman Haste, Crossrail Chief Executive.

'But of course they also use the network now and already see the congestion and overcrowding on tubes and trains. We don't want them to inherit a system at breaking point.

'Hopefully, involving young people in understanding the problems we face today, they will be helped to understand and deal with the problems they will face tomorrow.'

'One of young Crossrail's first projects will enable young people in schools to develop their creative talents and to be creative and learn about the challenges of design through taking part in the Design a Crossrail Carriage Project. This will help develop their design skills working within real life design constraints.'

This is a curriculum-based activity currently involving entire year groups and gifted and talented cohorts from 15 schools along the preferred Crossrail route. Students have been given a set of criteria to work on and find an answer to – just as Crossrail engineers are currently doing. The project will continue during the Autumn term.

'We are very pleased to be working with London's Transport Museum and their partner Bombardier in this exciting project,' added Mr Haste.

Young Crossrail also has a strong emphasis on safety. The first wordsearch to be found on the Young Crossrail section of the Crossrail website focuses on safety.

'We want to help them realise how fast the Crossrail trains will travel and the need to be careful; and follow safety guidelines,' said Stephen Brice, Crossrail's Education Consultant.

Schools will also be circulated during the next school term with 'The Link', a newsletter with information about the project's development. It will look at the bio-diversity work of environmental specialists working with Crossrail, and have puzzles, quizzes and the latest news on the Crossrail Project.

Teachers at all schools along the route will receive a curriculum resource pack, helping them to get students involved in thinking about transport issues and environmental challenges.

Later it is hoped to produce a 'big book' literacy resource about engineering work for use in teaching reading within the context of the engineering and construction industry.

'Getting young people interested in engineering and tunnelling will help to create more engineers for future which this country urgently needs,' commented Mr Haste.