Derailed: London Crossrail project delayed again as costs hit £19 billion

Published by Scott Challinor on August 23rd 2020, 11:00am

The Financial Times reports that the Crossrail board has called for an additional £450 million in investment with the east-to-west Elizabeth Line now unlikely to be open until the middle of 2022.

The Elizabeth Line route was originally due to open in December 2019 but has been subject to several delays.

The project was aiming for a revised target of the summer of 2021 before the latest delay came to light.

Crossrail has said that the central section of the line, covering Paddington to Abbey Wood, will be ready for opening “in the first half of 2022”.

The FT says that the total cost of the project has now reached almost £19 billion.

Crossrail CEO Mark Wild said the project is in its "complex final stages" and is “being completed at a time of great uncertainty due to the risks and potential impacts of further Covid outbreaks.”

Wild added: "We are working tirelessly to complete the remaining infrastructure works so that we can fully test the railway and successfully transition the project as an operational railway to Transport for London."

The Covid-19 pandemic is a significant driver behind the latest delay, with the pending central section of the line running predominantly through tunnels and social distancing bringing staffing levels on Crossrail sites down by 50 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Wild said that the focus on the project remains on “opening the Elizabeth Line as soon as possible”, reassuring that Crossrail has a “comprehensive plan” to do so.

London mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London’s new commissioner, Andy Byford, have both expressed disappointment at the latest delay.

Byford has been asked by City Hall to review Crossrail’s latest update, including extra funds that the project may require.

Byford indicated that the Department for Transport would also assess Crossrail’s new plans.

Meanwhile, transport secretary Grant Shapps has said that a new specialist team will be recruited to his department to help tackle pandemic associated delays to infrastructure projects.

The government has also announced the launch of an “acceleration unit” which will be tasked with hastening road and rail upgrades.

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Authored By

Scott Challinor
Business Editor
August 23rd 2020, 11:00am

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