ANGER has greeted the news that the £10 billion Crossrail proposal to link west London with the east of the capital will not extend to Kingston.

Transport Secretary Alastair Darling, who this week announced that the Crossrail project will go ahead, confirmed to Richmond Park MP Jenny Tonge after a meeting in the House of Commons on Tuesday that the Kingston/Richmond limb would not go forward - although this has not been announced officially .

In a written statement he said there was a "relatively weak case" for building the Kingston/Richmond link.

Jenny Tonge said the announcement is not good news for Kingston residents "for whom Crossrail would have been a boon".

Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey, who said he was "dismayed" by the news, said: "This is a great blow for Kingston. Crossrail would have eased congestion and boosted business.

"Crossrail would have given us a direct rail link to Heathrow and Paddington and would have been invaluable for Kingston's retail industry and offices, never mind the university."

He added: "This is typical of this government's tendency to make grand promises and then not deliver.

"Time and time again they fail to appreciate how their decisions will affect people on the ground.

"After months of delay and debate they have let Kingston down again.

"The government's decision not to bring Crossrail to Kingston will end up putting huge strain on Kingston's transport infrastructure, which is already under pressure, and deny the area a valuable economic opportunity. I feel this is a huge mistake."

Tony Arbour GLA member for Kingston, Richmond and Hounslow, said the money not spent on bringing Crossrail to Kingston and Richmond should be spent on upgrading rail services in the area and exploring the possibility of extending the District Line to Kingston.

Susan Kramer, prospective parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park, said there must now be a new focus on improving rail services to meet the transport needs of the area.

She said residents will be relieved to have a decision at last from the government, but added: "It is clear that this route was not a serious contender from the outset, but it has had a real knock-on effect. Kingston people were given false hope of improved transport. Future services should be designed around the travel needs of local people not proposed as an afterthought add-on to a central London project."

A spokesman for the council, said: "The announcement made by the Secretary of State for Transport is a major disappointment to the council.

"It now seems that if the Crossrail scheme goes ahead - which is by no means certain - the south west corridor from Paddington via Richmond to Kingston will not be part of the scheme.

"The council has lobbied for the south west corridor since it was first proposed in February 2003.

"We have yet to analyse the full statement so cannot say whether any lobbying options remain."