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Elizabeth Line platforms EVACUATED on first day of opening after fire alarm as hundreds queue for first ride on new Tube
ELIZABETH Line platforms were EVACUATED on the first day of the Tube line opening after a fire alarm sounded in a busy underground station.
Hundreds of commuters were rushed off the new platform at Paddington Station after the alarm was sounded just before 9am this morning.
Transport for London confirmed to The Sun that the station was being evacuated because of a fire alarm going off.
They said it was not a test, and they are working with London Fire Brigade to establish the cause and evacuate all passengers at Paddington.
Hundreds of Londoners were seen leaving the busy station as an overhead alarm warned people to evacuate the building immediately.
TfL security – in their swanky new Elizabeth Line hi-vis jackets – were seen directing people out of the underground towards street level.
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It comes just hours after the Elizabeth Line opened to the public – as keen Londoners queued to be the first to ride the new line.
The crowd cheered and rushed forwards when the doors to Paddington Elizabeth line station opened at around 6.20am.
The massive Crossrail railway construction project finally opened this morning after 13 years in the making.
Dubbed the "most significant addition to our transport network in decades" by Mayor Sadiq Khan, Londoners rushed to stations this morning to get a taste of the new line.
Carriages were packed out as hoards of commuters travelled on the slick new service.
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Sadiq Khan, who also travelled on the first train this morning, said: "It's a landmark day.
"I'm excited. I'm like the little boy before Christmas."
He said the Elizabeth line is a "game-changer" that will "transform our city".
TfL commissioner Andy Byford said the Elizabeth line service was "so far so good" and "on time".
He went on: "The customer reaction has been amazing, just as predicted. The universal reaction is 'wow'."
The Office of Rail and Road approved all of the swanky new stations – except Bond Street, which will open later – as suitable for full passenger use.
The overall routeway for the line's complex track and tunnel infrastructure was also given the green light.
The Elizabeth Line promises to cut journey times across the capital, whizzing commuters from Paddington to Canary Wharf in just 17 minutes.
Transport for London says the "stunning" £20billion project will also provide an additional 10 per cent capacity.
TUBE CHAOS
Construction began in May 2009 at Canary Wharf before tunnel work started in May 2012.
The Elizabeth Line will initially run 12 trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood, Monday to Saturday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "Absolutely delighted that the Elizabeth Line has opened to the public today.
"Long-term investment in UK infrastructure pays off – with this project alone supporting 55,000 new jobs, 1,000 apprenticeships, and forecast to boost the UK economy by £42bn."
And just last week, the Queen herself topped up her Oyster card and bought a Tube ticket during a surprise appearance on the London Underground.
Her Majesty beamed as she joined her youngest son Edward for the opening of the new Elizabeth line at Paddington Station.
During the visit, she bought the very first ticket for the line using a commemorative Oyster card.
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Edward then went to the tracks to learn about the design of the new station.
The visit ended with the prince boarding a train to Tottenham Court Road before returning to Paddington.
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