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image captionThe railway, from Berkshire to Essex via central London, was due to open fully in December 2018, but has faced numerous issues
A Sherlock-style forensic focus is needed to finish Crossrail on time and within budget, an inquiry has found.
The route was due to open in December 2018 but has faced numerous delays.
A committee has urged Transport for London (TfL) to keep a tight grasp on the project s leadership and budget, which is now £18.6bn after a £825m boost of government cash in December.
TfL said there had been many challenges , but the line would be opened as soon as possible .
Report warns ‘forensic focus’ needed to deliver Crossrail
Photo: PA News
A “forensic focus” is required to complete Crossrail within its revised budget and timescale, an inquiry has found.
In a report, the London Assembly Transport Committee urged Transport for London (TfL) and mayor Sadiq Khan to ensure “past mistakes are not repeated”.
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It recommends they keep a tight grasp on the project’s leadership structures and financial stability.
Management and governance of the scheme was transferred from Crossrail Ltd to TfL – chaired by Mr Khan – in October 2020.
The Transport Committee expressed concern that there may not be “enough resources or the right level of expertise” to successfully complete its final phases, such as safety assurance activities and technical processes.
Crossrail s Woolwich station site The chief executive of Crossrail has heralded the safety record of the project s Woolwich station site as a tremendous achievement. Mark Wild singled the Greenwich station, currently under construction, out for high praise after it marked five years without a single reportable incident on site. Many of Crossrail s other station sites have been dogged with reported incidents, injuries and near misses in recent years, and Mr Wild called it a tremendous achievement for all those involved and is testament to our collaborative approach in keeping our workforce safe.” In his latest update, Wild reported two more incidents; one at Bond Street and one at Paddington.
In his monthly update to the London Assembly, Wild described the station handover timetable as “critical” to getting the Elizabeth line up and running by
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