City transport chief says announcement due by second quarter
A senior figure at the City of London has told 黑洞社区 Crossrail is hoping to announce a new opening date for the railway in the second quarter of this year.
Chris Hayward, the chairman of the authority鈥檚 planning and transportation committee, said: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e [Crossrail] telling us by the second quarter.鈥�
Crossrail passes through three stations in the Square Mile 鈥� Liverpool Street (pictured), Moorgate and Farringdon 鈥� with the City having stumped up 拢200m back in 2017 to help fund the route, known as the Elizabeth Line, after the scheme hit milestones triggering payments.
Hayward said he had been reassured by meetings with the new management team which includes chief executive Mark Wild and chairman Tony Meggs.
鈥淚鈥檓 satisfied the new team has got a grip on [things]. We do need a definite [opening] date but they can鈥檛 break any more opening dates. It will be met with derision quite frankly.
鈥淲hat [Mark Wild] is doing is wisely not coming forward until he鈥檚 sure about the date.鈥�
READ MORE: How the Crossrail delay has unfolded
ANALYSIS: Crossrail delay: what鈥檚 gone wrong 鈥� and why
The 拢17.6bn scheme was due to open last December but last summer it was announced the railway had been delayed until this autumn 鈥� although this revised date has now been bust with Wild admitting in January he had no idea when the scheme will open.
Wild said: 鈥淢y team and I are working to establish a robust and deliverable plan to open the railway, once that work is complete then we will be in a position to confirm a new opening date.鈥�
Wild and Meggs are both due to appear before a Public Accounts Committee hearing tomorrow afternoon at which Wild is expected to give more detail on when a new opening date might be announced.
The bulk of the work left to be completed on the project revolves around complex M&E and technology work on the route鈥檚 central London stations.
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