The authority governing London's financial district said on Tuesday it had agreed further finances to help fill the funding gap holding back London's 16 billion pounds Crossrail link.

Sources say a 350 million pounds funding gap is the last hurdle to be cleared before government can approve the ambitious project, which will stretch from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, via stations in the capital, to Essex and Kent in the east.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave his backing to the route on Monday, but said business had to pay its fair share.

The City of London Corporation said it had agreed further funding but would not comment on whether that bridged the 350 million pounds gap in full.

"At a special meeting held this afternoon at the Guildhall, the City of London's Court of Common Council voted, after lengthy discussion, to support a financial contribution to Crossrail," it said in a statement. It declined to comment further.