Cost increases

9 The issues associated with delivery of the contract also resulted in increased costs. Between February 2017 and March 2018, the forecast cost of the contract increased by £235 million (44%) from £532 million to £767 million (Figure 12). The causes of the cost increases against the original plan are varied, and include additional construction and design due to lower than expected productivity, and access delays, instructed changes in scope, and corrections to the contractor's forecasts. Between March 2018 and December 2018, the forecast final cost of the contract increased by a further £189 million (25%) from £767 million to £956 million. As with Paddington station, this last cost increase was partly due to Crossrail Ltd's unsuccessful attempts to accelerate productivity with additional resource during 2018 and the prolongation of the contract after the August 2018 announcement that the opening date would be delayed. Crossrail Ltd began to develop more realistic forecasts of what it would cost to complete the programme.

Notes

1 The costs given are the contractor view of forecast of total defined cost, as reported in the Crossrail Ltd's Board reports each month.

2 Costs are given in cash terms.