Proposals for a new train link running under Islington and Hackney have been backed by Network Rail.

The planned Crossrail 2 route, which was revealed last week, is set to provide better links between London’s north and south, with stations including King’s Cross, Angel, Dalston and Hackney Central.

London First’s Crossrail taskforce, chaired by former transport secretary Lord Adonis, recommended the scheme – which includes a new tunnel running underneath both boroughs – in its final report.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has already given his backing to the project which, if given the go-ahead by Government and the £12billion funding it needs, could be underway by 2020.

Welcoming the report, David Higgins, Network Rail chief executive, said: “If the capital’s economy is to continue to thrive then we must plan now, together, for the transport infrastructure requirements of London’s future.

“Our projections show that by 2031 we will need to accommodate 36 per cent more commuters into London each day. Network Rail is already delivering the biggest capacity improvement programme since the Victorian era, but even that will not be enough on some routes.

“A regional Crossrail 2 scheme will provide the capacity we need to provide for the commuters of the future.”