Crossrail CEO Mark Wild has written to the London Assembly Transport Committee with an update on the project.
In it he writes about the comprehensive plan to complete the Elizabeth line focused on the remaining construction and systems integration, followed by intensive operational testing.
The process to handover the completed rail infrastructure to TfL is underway with Crossrail Ltd planning to start intensive operational testing, known as Trial Running, at the earliest opportunity in 2021. This marks the project’s key transition from construction to an operational railway.
Crossrail Ltd plans to bring the Elizabeth line into passenger service as soon as practically possibly in the first half of 2022.
He writes: “To align with this next phase of the programme, discussions are underway regarding responsibility for the governance of the Crossrail programme moving to TfL.
“The joint sponsors of Crossrail, TfL and the Department for Transport, are working closely with Crossrail Ltd to finalise the governance transition plan.
“The plans will ensure that decision making between Crossrail Ltd and TfL is seamless and fully aligned during the critical final phases of the programme as the operational testing is undertaken and the remaining parts of the railway are completed and transferred to TfL.
“Over time further phases of the transition will take place, as Crossrail becomes a full integrated part of TfL, as originally planned.”
The letter also outlines the recent construction blockade, which came to an end on September 17. It has been described by Mark as ‘a fantastic demonstration of what is possible when it comes to safely undertaking intensive works during a global pandemic’.
He writes: “Whilst final statistics on progress will not be available via the reporting and assurance process for a few weeks, the blockade has demonstrated strong performance and has helped to recover significant time lost due to the temporary pause in construction works as a result of COVID-19 earlier this year.”
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