Smith: delayed opening will increase Crossrail’s robustness
The operations director of the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) has defended the delayed opening of the line, claiming that “people remember less of the precise opening dates of when something opened, and more the benefits it brings”.
Howard Smith suggested that next autumn is a “real plan” for the revised opening date, telling RAIL: “We’ve got to go through dynamic testing, and self-evidently all big projects come with a degree of uncertainty and we face a number of risks. Agreeing a longer date increases the robustness of the new plan because you’re not trying to rush and reset anything.”
In August, it was announced that the Elizabeth Line wouldn’t be opening as planned this December. Instead, it would open next autumn, with Transport for London citing the need to complete testing ( RAIL 861).
“There isn’t a point, if you’re the operations director, when you find out about something. You know how a number of plans are going and you know when the best time to make a public announcement about dates is,” Smith told delegates at a conference on October 11, entitled Delivering the Elizabeth Line and the outlook for Crossrail 2: expanding capacity, opportunities for London, and looking beyond the Affordability Review.
Smith declined to comment on a Sunday Times article suggesting that the Department for Transport could take over control of the line, owing to the delays and the project exceeding its budget.
Responding to a question from RAIL, he said: “If I’m honest, I’m going to slightly duck the question. I saw what was in the Sunday Times, I think what is in the funding agreements between TfL and the DfT that were put in many years ago is a fact.
“There’s obviously a discussion going on between TfL and the Government at the moment about the Elizabeth Line, so I think we have to see things in that context. At a mundane level I reassured my staff that I didn’t think anyone would come in and change the locks, and they should come to work as normal.”
Smith also revealed the new Bombardier Class 345s should reach Heathrow “in the early parts of next year” in passenger service. At present, the ‘345s’ can only go as far as Hayes & Harlington, as the Heathrow tunnels are controlled by European Train Control System signalling.
“The key thing is to do things when we’re ready, rather than do things prematurely and fall on our faces. That’s why we hired in the former Heathrow Connect units in the meantime,” he explained.
Despite the initial ‘345’ first entering the central section tunnels in June, Smith said that dynamic testing is about to begin, involving multiple units. Previously, he said, the trains had to be tested while the new line was being built, while it will now be a “full-time activity”.
Finally, Smith revealed that passengers will be able to pay for the Heathrow Express using an Oystercard. He didn’t reveal prices, but said the addition will “connect up the transport system”.