PLANS to cut costs of the proposed £270m Woolwich Crossrail station are being considered.

The Government has told Greenwich Council it has to reduce the cost if the town is to be an option as part of the £16bn network.

The plans, which are in the early stages, include detailed design and engineering work to reduce the depth and alignment of the station.

It is believed this could bring about huge savings as current design requires very deep and costly station shafts.

Under the current plans, the station would be 30m to 35m beneath ground.

But the plans the council is now considering mean the station would be just 10m to 15m underground.

These changes could save as much as £80m from the costs.

The council believes it can raise the money needed to add to the £170m the Government is prepared to spend on a Woolwich station.

Council and business chiefs and Woolwich MP Nick Raysnford want to come up with concrete plans by the end of December, before the Crossrail select committee meets in mid-January.

The Government stunned the borough's leaders in October when it announced Woolwich would not have a station due to its proposed £270m cost.

But following protests, including in the House of Commons, Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said he would reconsider.

The council was informed of this decision following a House of Commons debate on October 31.

It learned the station would go ahead as long as it could raise cash towards it.

Deputy council leader Councillor Peter Brooks says nothing has been decided but the council is considering many options.

Cllr Brooks said: "None of it will be raised by council tax payers' money or council tax increases.

"We are going to find this money somehow."

He added: "We are grateful to the Government for giving us a chance to rethink and reduce the costs."

Greenwich, Bexley, Lewisham, and Bromley Chamber of Commerce president, Stephen Nelson, said: "Businesses from all four boroughs have written expressing how we are strongly in favour of having Crossrail in Woolwich."