Consultation has opened on proposed routes for Crossrail 2 which would cut through the heart of Islington and Hackney.

The proposed £12billion underground line linking the north west and south east of the capital includes stops at Angel and Dalston Junction, with a alternative scheme to also include a regional overground route which would incorporate Hackney Central.

The first phase of Crossrail, currently under construction, is set to provide a 10 per cent increase to rail capacity in London.

Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail today launched a public consultation on the proposed routes for the second phase, which will aim to establish what level of support there is for the project and where the public would like Crossrail 2 to serve.

Two alternatives have been put forward – a Metro option and a Regional option.

The Metro option could offer a high frequency underground service across central London, be an underground railway and operate between Wimbledon and Alexandra Palace. The route would relieve congestion on trains and platforms on the Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.

The Regional alternative comprises the Metro line in the first option and additional overground branches in the north and south to benefit people in Hertfordshire, Surrey and beyond.

A large part of the route – including that running through Islington and Hackney – has been kept free from any intrusive building development since 1991 in anticipation of the Crossrail 2 plans, which is expected to keep any demolition of buildings or homes to a bare minimum in both boroughs.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “Crossrail is set to revolutionise travel in the capital, and with a predicted 10million people expected to be living in London by 2031, pressing ahead with the next stage of the plan, Crossrail 2, is quite simply essential.

“In order to support this great capital’s bright future, we need to think ahead and not wait until our transport arteries are clogged up and restricting jobs and growth.

“That’s why I am sending out a rallying cry for the public’s support for this consultation – come and share your views so we can progress with Crossrail 2 as soon as possible.”

TfL’s commissioner, Sir Peter Hendy, said: “It is vital for the UK economy that we get on and finish Crossrail and the upgrade of the Tube. It is equally important for us to look beyond that if we are to accommodate a population forecast to grow to 10million by the early 2030s.

“Given the lead times needed, that means progressing with Crossrail 2 now as an essential element in maintaining London’s status as a world city.”

The consultation will end on August 2, and a report on its findings will be presented to the Mayor of London in autumn this year and made publicly available on the consultation website.

If the plans get approval – and the necessary funding – work would start in the 2020s and the new service could open in the early 2030s.