Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progress update
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 184
29 October 2021
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty Fourth report from Session 2021-22 · published 21 Jan 2022
Recommendations & Conclusions
11 results
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Crossrail Ltd is constructing stations along the central section which are then handed over to...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
9
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The £1.9 billion estimated cost increase consisted of £1,510 million of Crossrail Ltd costs, and...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
11
Conclusion
Acknowledged
TfL told us that further funding may not be needed if the railway is opened...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
12
Conclusion
Acknowledged
In August 2020, Crossrail Ltd announced that up to £1.1 billion of further funding would...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
14
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Elizabeth line services will open in stages as different part of the line are...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
16
Conclusion
Acknowledged
In April 2019 we reported that the Department, TfL and the previous Crossrail Ltd management...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
17
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Construction work on the programme started in 2009 and tunnelling began in 2012.47 The majority...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
20
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department told us that Crossrail had completed a property and regeneration study looking at...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
21
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The NAO report sets out what it would expect to see in place to achieve...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
22
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We have examined many major transport programmes over the years, including modernising the Great Western...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details
23
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We have asked the Department for the lessons it has learned from these experiences on...
Conclusion
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 Summary
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
View Details