During Parliamentary recess Matthew has taken the opportunity to visit strategic projects in the capital which will have a beneficial effect for constituents – one significant project is that of Crossrail and the development of Tottenham Court Road Tube Station. On forming the new administration, the Coalition Government took the decision to continue with Crossrail. Work has been under way since January 2009 on the £16bn rail project, which will run through London connecting Maidenhead in Berkshire with Essex. Combined with the improvements on the Thameslink route, commuters from the Hendon constituency will be better served by a range of travel options.

As part of this rail infrastructure project London Underground is taking the opportunity to rebuild the Tube station at Tottenham Court Road to relieve congestion with a ticket hall six times the size of the current one and to provide a better interchange between the Northern Line and the Crossrail line.

Matthew said: “This is a huge infrastructure project that is being conducted in a tiny patch of central London. The logistics to excavate London clay at such depth and in a small space are enormous. The project is also leading the industry through its use of the Construction Certificate Safety Scheme, improving safety for site workers. This will provide a direct benefit for all of us who use the Northern Line each day by increasing capacity and comfort.”

Matthew is pictured with representatives from London Underground 30 metres below the surface