Crossrail opening delayed again - until end of 2021

6 January 2020, 11:37

Crossrail has been delayed again and will not open before the end of 2021, the London Assembly heard today.

Transport for London (TfL) is working on a timetable of between September and December next year for the opening of just the central section of the new line.

Crossrail was initially supposed to open in December 2018. The latest delay puts the opening almost three years behind schedule - it's estimated to have cost at least 18 billion pounds.

Eventually - the Elizabeth Line will link up Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport to Essex, and south-east London.

Speaking to the London Assembly’s budget and performance committee, commissioner Mike Brown said TfL was working to a timetable of between September and December next to be the opening date.

“We’re waiting for the Crossrail board to give an assessment of the opening date, but actually we’ve taken…a very pragmatic look at the demand forecasts,” he said.

“What we’ve looked at is a delay to the later stages of 2021 in terms of our business planning assumption.

“Both the chief executive of Crossrail [Mike Brown] and the board of Crossrail know the imperative of bringing that date as forward as they can possibly and safely do so because of the imperative that revenues will begin to flow in to TfL overall.”