Crossrail Delay: Line will not open until 2021 as costs increase - CILT(UK)
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Crossrail Delay: Line will not open until 2021 as costs increase

12 November 2019/Categories: CILT, Industry News, Active Travel & Travel Planning, Rail, Transport Planning


The opening of London's Crossrail project will be delayed until 2021 as Europe's biggest infrastructure scheme is set to go another £650m over budget.

The route, to be known as the Elizabeth Line, was originally due to open in December 2018.

Crossrail Ltd chief executive Mark Wild said services would be delayed to allow time for more testing.

He also said the cost of the project could reach £18.25bn, more than £2bn more than the original budget.

The Department for Transport said it was "considering" where this new funding would come from.

The cost was originally set at £15.9bn for the scheme, which will connect major landmarks such as Heathrow Airport and the Canary Wharf business district.

However, Mayor Sadiq Khan, the government and Transport for London (TfL) had since agreed a figure of £17.6bn.

Bosses said in April that services would begin between October 2020 and March 2021.

Announcing the latest delay, Mr Wild insisted services would begin "as soon as practically possible in 2021".

He added: "The central section will be substantially complete by the end of the first quarter in 2020, except for Bond Street and Whitechapel stations where work will continue.

"We will provide Londoners with further certainty about when the Elizabeth line will open early in 2020."

The delay will allow more time to complete software development and allow safety systems to be tested.

The line will make use of some existing track, but involves 26 miles of new tunnels connecting Paddington and Liverpool Street stations to improve rail capacity crossing the capital.

Eventually it will connect London to Reading and Shenfield.

An estimated 200 million passengers will use the new underground line annually, increasing central London rail capacity by 10% - the largest increase since World War Two.

Crossrail says the new line will connect Paddington to Canary Wharf in 17 minutes.

source: BBC News

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