黑洞社区

Terry Morgan is being made the scapegoat for Crossrail鈥檚 problems and the finger of blame also needs to be pointed at the railway鈥檚 former chief executives such as Andrew Wolstenholme, the leader of the London Assembly鈥檚 transport committee has said.

Caroline Pidgeon said Morgan, who stepped down as Crossrail鈥檚 chairman last December, was being made the 鈥渇all guy鈥� for the issues which have engulfed the scheme.

But she said others are culpable for the woes which have seen project bosses already admit the scheme will not open this year 鈥� meaning it will be more than 12 months late 鈥� while it has had to be bailed out by close to 拢3bn with the Department for Transport admitting this month it still doesn鈥檛 know what the final bill will be.

Former chief executives, including Wolstenholme and Simon Wright, needed to be held more responsible for the problems, Pidgeon told a meeting of the committee yesterday.

She said: 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 sad that he鈥檚 [Morgan] become the fall guy for this because when you actually look at the evidence we had from the former chief executives who are supposed to be world experts leading on the project and what they were being paid, I think they need to take more responsibility.

鈥淪adly, that hasn鈥檛 quite happened.鈥�

Transport for London commissioner Mike Brown, who was being questioned by the committee, admitted Pidgeon had raised a 鈥渇air point鈥�.

Speaking about Morgan鈥檚 nine years in charge, Brown added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a shame that the fantastic years of public service the previous chair [Morgan] gave on this project ended the way it did. I take no joy in the situation that has emerged.鈥�

Wolstenholme left last March, having picked up nearly 拢5m in pay during his time there, and at the time transport secretary Chris Grayling said his seven years in charge of the railway 鈥渨ould leave a lasting legacy across the industry鈥�.

But Wolstenholme came under fire in a London Assembly report this week which said his decision to query why part of his bonus had not been paid was 鈥渟ymptomatic of a culture that, while encouraging unchecked optimism, has also encouraged a denial of responsibility鈥�.

Brown also refuted the suggestion the transport committee made in the same report that he should consider standing down over Crossrail.

He said: 鈥淚鈥檓 not reflecting on whether I鈥檓 fit to be in position. I believe I am; I have support of the mayor and that鈥檚 the end of that issue from my point of view.鈥�