Crossrail costs to rise again due to further delays

THE £16billion Crossrail project looks set to require further additional funding to meet rising costs despite passing several major milestones in 2019/20.

Delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic forced construction works to be suspended on

March 24, and although work is underway again, social distancing rules create new challenges for staff working both above and below ground.

Preparation work on surface routes is still on-going both east and west of the core tunnel section, with Network Rail upgrading tracks and stations to cope with the additional traffic.

Surface works

However, NR requires an additional £140million to complete its surface works, taking the total for this part of the project to almost £3bn. Delays to station improvements and power supply upgrade work are being blamed for the rise in cost.

Crossrail Limited (CRL) is reviewing its costs and schedules in light of recent delays and their impact on the opening schedule.

In January, CRL announced a revised opening date of summer 2021 for the central section and a full Elizabeth Line service by mid-2022, but these dates could be pushed back even further.

Trial services

All stations on the core section tunnels are now ready for the start of trial services, with the exception of Bond Street, which is not yet complete. Tunnel ventilation shafts and tunnel portals and Custom House station have been handed over to Transport for London (TfL), with signalling/ software testing progressing.

TfL Rail is running Paddington to Reading services with Class 345 EMUs, which will be expanded to the nine-car formations later this year.

Class 345s are now also approved for operation to Heathrow Airport, with final testing and driver training taking place ahead of introduction of the 15-minute frequency service.