Crossrail is a major programme to run new rail services between Reading and Heathrow Airport, through a new underground section beneath central London, to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood in south-east London. The new line, to be called the Elizabeth line, aims to reduce congestion and journey times, increase capacity in London's transport network and support economic growth. This is a much-needed programme for commuters who currently experience over-crowded trains and rail lines which are stretched to capacity. When complete, the new railway will be around 73 miles (118km) long, with around 26 miles (42km) of new tunnels. Ten new stations are being built and a further 31 are being improved.
The Department for Transport (the Department) and Transport for London (TfL) are jointly sponsoring the programme. Crossrail Limited is an arm's-length body specifically created to deliver the programme and is wholly-owned by TfL. In Spending Review 2010 the programme sponsors set a total funding package of £14.8 billion for the programme, including contingency but excluding the trains and main depot. Services were scheduled to start running through the central section in December 2018 and a full east-west service from December 2019. Some services are already running on the western and eastern ends of the line, but services have not yet begun through the central section. Now, services are not due to run until 2020, yet there is no guarantee that they will run by this date. Given the major delays and management issues that have so far blighted this programme, we are sceptical that this target date will be met.
It is disappointing to us to see a programme that at first seemed so promising unravel so quickly and fall victim to the same project management issues that we see so frequently across Whitehall.