In The News: 21st August

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Crossrail’s central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood will be ready to open in the first half of 2022.

That’s the message from the board, as it has also been revealed that the cost to complete the project could be up to £1.1 billion above the financing package agreed in December 2018.

Crossrail says it is planning to start intensive operational testing at the earliest opportunity in 2021.

Chief Executive Mark Wild says they are working tirelessly to complete the remaining infrastructure works so they can fully test the railway.

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The construction boss who oversaw the building of the London Nightingale Hospital has been drafted in to oversee £360 million worth of rail upgrades, the Transport Secretary has announced.

The article, in The Daily Telegraph, features Grant Shapps who says he was launching an ‘accelerator unit’ of experts and business figures so that contractors would ‘feel the heat’ to get projects done on time and under budget.

Among those involved includes Mark Reynolds, the Mace construction chief executive.

It comes as the Government unveiled hundreds of millions in extra funding for major rail works in Wales, London and the Home Counties as part of efforts to kick-start the projects following lockdown.

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Labour is stepping up its campaign for public ownership of the railways following news of a 1.6% fares increase in the new year.

That is according to an article in the i newspaper that features Shadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon who said some analysis by Labour showed some commuters will be paying over £3,350 more than in 2010.

Finally, and dates have been announced for engineering works to carry out the biggest transformation to the Island Line in over 50 years.

South Western says no services will run on the line from January 4th to March 31st next year for work in advance of the introduction of the Class 484 trains.

Alan Penlington, South Western Railway’s Customer Experience Director, says the work will transform travel on the Isle of Wight.

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Photo credit: South Western Railway

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