Crossrail: A progress update

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 9 Jun 2021 Closed: 16 Nov 2021 Parliament page
Crossrail is a large, complex programme to run a new direct rail line across London, known as the Elizabeth line and part of Transport for London’s rail and underground network. The Elizabeth line is now in its final stages. It became clear in 2018 that the original schedule and cost … Read more
6 Recommendations
18 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
3 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 6 events
21 Jan
2022
Report published
29 Oct
2021
Report published
10 Sep
2021
Correspondence
20 Jul
2021
Correspondence
19 Jul
2021
Oral evidence
29 Jun
2021
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
19 Jul 2021
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Crossrail: A progress update
Andy Byford · Transport for London Bernadette Kelly CB · Department for Transport Mark Wild · HS2 Ltd Matt Lodge · Department for Transport
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progress update HC 184 29 Oct 2021 24 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
11 results
Clear
7 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
Crossrail Ltd is constructing stations along the central section which are then handed over to...
Crossrail Ltd is constructing stations along the central section which are then handed over to the eventual infrastructure maintainer - Rail for London Infrastructure (RfLi) or London Underground. TfL told us that completing the stations is on the critical path … Read more
Government Response
The government provides an update on the Elizabeth Line project, including the commencement of Trial Operations and updated timelines for the central section opening in the first half of 2022, thereby acknowledging the committee's observations on progress and risks.
HM Treasury
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
The £1.9 billion estimated cost increase consisted of £1,510 million of Crossrail Ltd costs, and...
The £1.9 billion estimated cost increase consisted of £1,510 million of Crossrail Ltd costs, and £390 million of Network Rail costs. Schedule delay was the largest category of cost increase of Crossrail Ltd costs, accounting for £934 million. This was … Read more
Government Response
The government states it agrees with the committee's conclusion and provides an update on the programme's progress, current cost forecast, and schedule, noting Crossrail Ltd supplied the committee with revised cost and schedule estimates as of November 2021.
HM Treasury
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11 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
TfL told us that further funding may not be needed if the railway is opened...
TfL told us that further funding may not be needed if the railway is opened earlier and everything goes to plan.29 By July 2021, Crossrail Ltd expected to have updated its plans to reflect progress and risks remaining, which would … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the conclusion by stating that Crossrail Ltd is taking steps to deliver the project within available funding, providing current figures for its forecast relative to the agreed funding packages.
HM Treasury
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12 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
In August 2020, Crossrail Ltd announced that up to £1.1 billion of further funding would...
In August 2020, Crossrail Ltd announced that up to £1.1 billion of further funding would be needed to complete the programme. In December 2020, the government agreed to loan the Greater London Assembly (GLA) £825 million to complete the programme, … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the funding figures and states that Crossrail Ltd is working to deliver within available funding, with the current forecast £151 million above the December 2020 package but still within the broader £1.1 billion identified need.
HM Treasury
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14 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
The Elizabeth line services will open in stages as different part of the line are...
The Elizabeth line services will open in stages as different part of the line are completed. Services have been running on the eastern and western ends of the line (under the brand name ‘TfL Rail’) since June 2017 and May … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms the Elizabeth line's opening timeline, stating the central tunnel will open in the first half of 2022, with full end-to-end services by May 2023.
HM Treasury
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16 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
In April 2019 we reported that the Department, TfL and the previous Crossrail Ltd management...
In April 2019 we reported that the Department, TfL and the previous Crossrail Ltd management team had focussed on a fixed delivery date of December 2018, which led to warning signs that programme was in trouble being missed or ignored.45 … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for clarity on the Elizabeth line opening date, stating that Crossrail Ltd and TfL have a communications strategy and will announce a specific opening date once there is complete certainty for safe and reliable operation.
HM Treasury
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17 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
Construction work on the programme started in 2009 and tunnelling began in 2012.47 The majority...
Construction work on the programme started in 2009 and tunnelling began in 2012.47 The majority of major construction work is complete and Crossrail Ltd is now transferring assets, such as stations, to Rail for London Infrastructure (RfLi) and London Underground … Read more
Government Response
The government provides a general introduction to the Crossrail project, reiterating factual information about its construction, asset transfer, and operational plan, which aligns with the committee's observations.
HM Treasury
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20 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
The Department told us that Crossrail had completed a property and regeneration study looking at...
The Department told us that Crossrail had completed a property and regeneration study looking at 2008 to 2016 which identified some 90,000 homes and four million square feet of office space resulting from Crossrail. It also noted plans in place … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of benefits management and confirms that a joint benefits management strategy, defining realised and expected benefits, is nearly complete and TfL plans to publish it before the central section of the Elizabeth line opens.
HM Treasury
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21 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
The NAO report sets out what it would expect to see in place to achieve...
The NAO report sets out what it would expect to see in place to achieve benefits. It reported that the Department and TfL did not have a clear overarching benefits management strategy or plan for the Elizabeth line, but had … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of a benefits management strategy and confirms that a joint strategy, to be owned by TfL, is nearly complete and scheduled for publication before the central section of the Elizabeth line opens in the first half of 2022.
HM Treasury
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22 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
We have examined many major transport programmes over the years, including modernising the Great Western...
We have examined many major transport programmes over the years, including modernising the Great Western railway, the Sheffield to Rotherham tram-train, the Thameslink programme, the A303 Stonehenge tunnel, High Speed Two and Crossrail. We have seen common issues around programmes … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is developing a lessons management approach across government and has a comprehensive programme underway to embed these lessons in major transport infrastructure projects, with a progress update provided to the Committee via letter.
HM Treasury
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23 Conclusion Acknowledged
Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progr…
We have asked the Department for the lessons it has learned from these experiences on...
We have asked the Department for the lessons it has learned from these experiences on several different occasions and we asked again at this session in July. The Department referred again to the report it had produced with the Infrastructure … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is at the forefront of developing a lessons management approach across government, with a comprehensive programme underway to embed lessons, and has updated the Committee via letter.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 23 of 6 classified
Accepted 3
Acknowledged 11
Not Addressed 9
Total 6 recs + 18 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
10 Sep 2021 Correspondence from Bernadette Kelly CB, Permanent Secretary, Transport for London, re Crossrail: A progress update, dated 4 August 2021
Parliament page
20 Jul 2021 Correspondence from Bernadette Kelly CB, Permanent Secretary and Andy Byford Commissioner, TfL, re Crossrail Update, 14 July 2021
Parliament page
29 Jun 2021 Correspondence from Mark Wild, CEO, Crossrail Ltd, re Crossrail progress update: Spring 2021, dated 22 June 2021,
Parliament page