The legislation was introduced by the then Secretary of State for Transport Douglas Alexander and received royal assent on 22 July 2008.

The last such hybrid bill introduced led to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996.

The Crossrail Act 2008 provides for the construction of a tunnel with a western portal at Royal Oak in Westminster, London and eastern portals at Custom House and Pudding Mill Lane, both in the Borough of Newham in east London.

[4] It also allows for the construction of railways in the surrounding boroughs, in Greater London and in parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Essex, but will in practice only involve improvements to the existing main line railways it will share outside central London.

[5] Although there is a five-year limit on land acquisition, the Secretary of State may extend this power for up to another five years.