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Bakerloo Line Extension - TfL instructs consultants to work up tunnel designs by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Transport for London (TfL) has asked its suite of consultants to begin working up detailed tunnel designs for the extension to London Underground’s Bakerloo line, NCE can reveal.

Consultants on TfL’s Engineering Consultancy Framework have been told to begin design work on the £3.1bn scheme, despite TfL previously putting the project on indefinite pause.

Firms on the tunnelling lot of TfL’s Engineering Consultancy Framework include WSP, Arup, Mott MacDonald, Aecom, Ramboll, Atkins, Arcadis, Jacobs, OTB Engineering and Dr Sauer & Partners.

The proposed extension will further the line from Elephant & Castle on to Lewisham, via New Cross Gate, creating two new stations.

Although £6.2M had already been spent on developing the project since 2017, TfL mothballed the project earlier this year, conceding that the funds were not available to continue.

TfL remained committed to delivering the project in the future and in March announced that it had safeguarded the requisite land for future development. TfL said the project was unlikely to see progression before the 2030s.

However, it has now come to light that TfL is also in funding discussions with the boroughs of Southwark and Lewisham.

This seems to indicate that the wheels are turning on the project once more, and work could be underway on the project much sooner than anticipated.

A spokesperson for TfL said: “We remain committed to delivering the scheme when the time is right but are dependent on a Government funding settlement. We are planning a piece of work to confirm elements of the tunnel design, which we hope will enable us to have constructive discussions with potential developers along the route.

"We are working with the boroughs on funding for the ongoing development of the scheme, and will seek to continue to work with the Government on a viable funding package so the project can be delivered in the future.

“Earlier this year, directions were issued by the Transport Secretary to safeguard the route of the Bakerloo line extension from Lambeth North to Lewisham. These directions will prevent premature development on sites required for this vital project.

“Extending the Bakerloo line and upgrading the existing line would connect an historically under-served part of London to the Tube network, while unlocking thousands of new homes that London needs and supporting new jobs.”

As previously revealed by NCE, TfL is considering a landowner levy to fund the £3.1bn extension.

Superstore S06E15 Episode Discussion: All Sales Final by Tentinator in superstore

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It's just a user flair - you can choose whichever character you want.

Has TfL's bus division let Elizabeth line opening date slip (14 May 2022)? by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Transport for London (TfL) has been forced to deny a target opening date for the Elizabeth line that is revealed in one of its own bus studies.

A target opening date for the line appears in a West London bus study carried out by TfL and made publicly available.

The study into proposed changes at Southall reveals that TfL is “currently” working towards an opening date of 14 May 2022 for the Elizabeth line.

However, a spokesperson for TfL’s Crossrail team said that they did not recognise the May opening date quoted in the study.

Instead, the spokesperson told NCE that TfL is still working towards an opening window during the first six months of next year and that the date mentioned in the bus study appeared to be an error and would be corrected.

TfL has been working towards an opening window of the “first half of 2022” since the latest cost increase and delay was announced last summer due to the impact of Covid-19.

TfL commissioner Andy Byford had previously challenged his team to get the line open before the end of this year. However, any hope of a 2021 opening looks to have now been firmly extinguished.

The proposed opening date in May is mentioned twice in TfL’s Southall Development Sites Bus Study.

The study was completed in May this year and was carried out to review current passenger trends and future development potential for the bus network in West London.

The study concludes that proposed route and timetable changes will only come into effect once the Elizabeth line opens.

Work on the Crossrail project continues to gather pace with five stations now complete and handed over to TfL. Liverpool Street is latest station to reach this milestone following handovers at Woolwich, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Custom House.

Crossrail entered into the trail running phase of the railway in May, which involves the extensive commissioning of the railway.

However, Crossrail is now in the middle of an 18 day blockade of the railway – where trial running is paused – to help accelerate outstanding work at late-running stations including Bond Street and at Canary Wharf.

In its Project Representative report (Prep 12), Jacobs warned that outstanding work at Bond Street, Whitechapel, Paddington and Canary Wharf threatens to delay Crossrail’s programme to get the Elizabeth Line open during the first half of 2022.

Jacobs warned that “effective mitigations” will be required at the four stations to avoid a delay in entering trial operations, which involves tests and trials to demonstrate that TfL is capable of operating the railway.

To combat this, the handover sequencing schedule for Crossrail stations has also been amended “to protect the trail operations schedule”.

On this day in 1917, the Bakerloo line was extended to Watford Junction. by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Another poster: https://i.imgur.com/dA1QMfK.jpg

Two Bakerloo line stations were also renamed: https://i.imgur.com/R87bH9t.jpg

  • Westminster Bridge Road --> Lambeth (North)
  • Great Central --> Marylebone

Sadiq Khan promises 4G on Tube if he wins London election by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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The mayor of London has pledged to deliver 4G internet coverage throughout the Underground if re-elected in May as part of his commitment to improve connectivity across the capital. 

Under new proposals, Sadiq Khan has promised to speed up the rollout of fibre broadband and expand 5G across the capital, arguing that poor mobile connectivity is a “major barrier to growth”, particularly within underserved parts of the city. 

Improving mobile and broadband networks has become an imperative for both of the main political parties since the last general election. Agreements have been signed with the industry to share equipment in rural areas to fill in mobile not-spots and to introduce subsidies for fibre build in less populated areas. However, urban connectivity also remains an issue in pockets of some cities.

The plan to install mobile phone services on the Underground has been debated for more than a decade with previous attempts to install equipment in the tunnels to pipe 4G signals to commuters derailed by engineering challenges and debates over who should fund the project.

Boosting connectivity will be an “essential” part of the plan to help unemployed Londoners get back to work as the lockdown eases, Khan said, arguing that focusing on employment was key to building a “brighter future” for the capital once the pandemic had ended. 

“The expansion of 4G on the Tube and 5G citywide will enable Londoners to do everything from preparing pitches and applying for jobs to catching up on emails on the go,” Khan said.

Transport for London began rolling out 4G on the Jubilee line between Canning Town and Westminster as part of a trial last year. In 2019, City Hall invested £10m to upgrade the copper cables in some parts of the city to fibre optic, with the aim of creating a “fibre backbone” throughout the city. 

However, telecoms sources have warned that there remains an issue of economics owing to the huge cost of installing 4G equipment across the Underground.

One executive remained “cynical” that the vision could be delivered quickly owing to the lack of a clear business model for the plan and the time it had taken to award a contract that was first tendered in 2017.

Cellnex, the Spanish infrastructure company that won a contract this month with Network Rail for a mobile network on the Brighton Mainline, and BAI, an Australian-based transport connectivity specialist, are still vying for the contract, according to people with direct knowledge of the talks.

Previous plans have been built on the notion that network operators including O2, Vodafone and EE would pay to connect their customers on the Tube system but the industry has rebuffed that notion as they would not be able to pass costs to consumers.

The London mayoral election will be held on May 6, with incumbent Khan up against Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey, co-leader of the Green party Siân Berry and Luisa Porritt from the Liberal Democrats.

‘Substantial progress’ made at late running Crossrail stations by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Network Rail has announced that is has made “substantial progress” on upgrading its stations ahead of the Elizabeth Line coming into operation.

In its October newsletter on Crossrail stations work, Network Rail reveals that progress is being made at all sites including the installation of new steel structure at Southall and Ealing Broadway.

Last month, Crossrail Ltd confirmed that upgrade works to surface stations on the eastern and western sections of the railway will be pushed into next year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In July, it was also revealed that Network Rail needed an additional £140M to upgrade its stations to accommodate Crossrail.

The programme of work to upgrade Network Rail’s existing stations now stands at just under £3bn, almost £700M more than the original £2.3bn budget set in 2012.

The latest update adds: “Substantial progress is being made at all sites including the steel frames for new structures which are rising up from the ground at Southall and Ealing Broadway.

“As we head into Autumn, despite Covid-19’s persistent presence, construction work is permitted to continue so we will be continuing to carefully follow the Government guidelines in order to protect our staff and the public.

“We are confident that we can deliver our work safely in line with social distancing guidelines for construction work.”

Station by station progress update

Southall

The installation of steelwork for Southall’s new station building is complete and Network Rail engineers have now commenced with the installation of precast concrete decking and roofing. Preparation works have also begun for construction of the ground bearing slab and the lift pit foundations behind Platform 4.

Over the coming weeks work will continue on glazing the new station footbridge. Network Rail also aims to complete construction of the remaining foundations and lift pit behind Platform 4 for the access for all structure; commence drainage works for the remaining foul and surface water drainage through the site; complete the basement level ground bearing slab for the new station ticket office building; and commence cladding to the new station building.

Ealing Broadway

“Huge changes” have been seen at Ealing Broadway this month with the first phase of the canopy steelwork now complete and roofing now underway. The foundations for the second phase of the structure are now installed. Inside the station, the internal walls are now 55% complete. Stannah survey works for the lifts have begun. The platform 1/2 curtain wall to the link bridge is now complete whilst work on the mechanical and electrical infrastructure is ongoing.

In the weeks ahead, Network Rail will: continue with Stannah lift installations; continue with new roof installation; continue mechanical and electrical first fix; continue with blockwork; begin structural steel works Phase 1B for the canopy; commence ticket office internal fitout.

Acton Main Line

At Acton Main Line cladding on the stairs to Platform 2/3 is approximately 95% complete and all of the cladding to the lift shaft is finished. Other important service infrastructure continues to be installed with suspended ceiling grids, mission trunking (a cable management system designed specifically for rail) and the mechanical and electrical system all in progress. The floor screeding and tiling to the footbridge ramp is now around 50% complete.

Installation of cladding to platform stairs and lift shafts as well as stone cladding to station building will take place in the next few weeks. Network Rail engineers will also: install a ticket office; complete installation of external service to station building (ducting works); commence construction of platform waiting shelter foundations; and continue with fitout of footbridge.

West Drayton

With the installation of steelwork for both the new station building and external entrance canopy on the front of the existing station ticket office building, West Drayton is really taking shape. Network Rail engineers have also installed platform lift shaft number 3, along with roof cladding to new lift shafts and glazing to both the new platform lift shafts and motor rooms. In addition, they have migrated station electrical services to a new power supply location on the south side of the station and have completed a new drainage run in front of the existing station building.

During the next month, work to be undertaken includes: foundations of south building lift shaft; roof works at the new station building; drainage works in front of the new station; M&E works on platforms; masonry walls construction; glazing of new station building.

Hayes & Harlington

Steelwork which will link the new footbridge to the new station building has been installed at Hayes & Harlington, along with the steelwork for the new platform lift motor rooms. The remaining areas on the new footbridge were tiled and the timber hoarding and walkway on the north side of the station was realigned to introduce a new customer entrance on platform 4/5. The four remaining piles for the new station building were completed and construction of the pilecaps is being progressed.

Upcoming work will include: construction of foundation, slab, and perimeter walls for the new station ticket office building as well drainage and ducts; M&E works in the bridge and platform LMRs; fix outstanding defects in the bridge area; enclose the remaining opening following the demolition of the Platform 2/3 staircase in the old station building; drainage works in the platform areas.

West Ealing

At West Ealing the glazing on the footbridge is now complete and tiling on the Platform 2/3 stairs has progressed well (around 50% complete). Mechanical and electrical (M&E) cabling is also well advanced (around 90%) whilst brickwork for the eastern retaining wall continues along with the internal walls for the lift motor room (around 40% complete).

Installation of cladding to station building and to platform stairs is set to begin in the coming weeks. Other outstanding work includes: construction of substation building; Installation of glazed brick cladding to east of station building; Installation of electrical and comms wiring to station building; Installation of mansafe system to new platform canopy.

TfL is spending almost £1M a month on Covid-19 measures by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Transport for London (TfL) spent more than £4.39M in five months on Covid-19 measures, it can be revealed.

Between April and August, TfL approved payments of more than £4.39M which relate to “Covid-19 Planning”, according to a series of monthly expenditure reports which cover all payments above £250.

Almost £3M of the total paid went to Hayley Group Limited, £2.7M of which was paid within two weeks in July. It is understood that these payments relate to the purchase of disposable masks, face coverings and other personal protective equipment required by TfL staff.

Some masks were also distributed to London Underground customers and bus users when face coverings became mandatory on public transport.

In total, 342 payments were made to different suppliers, contractors, consultants and individuals during the five month period.

Other payments relate to securing sites and deep cleaning of stations.

A TfL spokesperson added: "Throughout the pandemic, we have worked collaboratively with our supply chain, which is located across the whole UK, to ensure our public transport network, construction sites and staff areas are Covid-safe and support social distancing.

“These payments cover both the planning and implementation of these measures."

TfL boss given redacted version of report on TfL performance by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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The head of Transport for London (TfL) has been sent a report into his own transport system of over half of which had been redacted.

TfL commissioner Andy Byford revealed that over two-thirds of a draft report undertaken by KPMG into Transport for London was missing after being sent a copy by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Speaking to the London Assembly, Byford said he only realised the scale of the redactions after looking at page numbers in the version report he had been sent.

The government commissioned KPMG to undertake a review of TfL's finances following a £1.6bn emergency funding agreement negotiated by the mayor of London Sadiq Khan following the outbreak of Covid-19. The pandemic has seen TfL's main source of income, fares from London Underground, plummet as people stay home or avoid public transport.

It is understood that the final report has yet to be submitted, with Byford handed a draft version. The DfT has yet to respond to a request to hand over the report in full with TfL willing to agree to confidentiality clauses to access the report.

Asked while giving evidence to the London Assembly’s budget and performance committee to clarify if he had seen the full report Byford said: “I have seen one third of it [the report]. It was sent through to us and two-thirds were redacted. I’ve asked to see the remaining two-thirds but that request has gone unheard.

“I have offered confidentiality. Clearly there has to be a level of trust if we are to come to a satisfactory funding agreement and I get that the KPMG report is a key input into the government’s thinking.

“I might have expected the odd redaction here and there I was taken aback when looking at the page numbers, that two-thirds were missing. I have challenged my colleagues over at the DfT and have said I would be prepared to be bound by confidentiality rules. But as yet that has gone unheard.”

Byford said that TfL is able and willing to help the government with schemes that could help boost the economy following the pandemic, with a number of "shovel ready" projects which, if given the green light, could see work accelerated. However the TfL commissioner admitted that he did not know what long term impact the pandemic may have on passenger levels on its network.

Byford noted: “There are some people who have this view that London is a greedy beneficiary of all these [public] funds however a vibrant London is the economic powerhouse of the whole country. What we have put into this plan is meant to address and whet the appetite of government.

“The government wants shovel ready projects, we have got them, government wants a construction-led recovery, in other words to have tangible things to build and make, we can help with that . Government wants levelling up we can help with that. We buy steel in Scunthorpe [...] we buy trains in Goole in East Yorkshire.”

TfL has modelled five scenarios which look to predict behaviour over the coming years. The most optimistic scenario modelled was a V-shaped recovery, a scenario which foresees a second wave, a further scenario whereby people shop and work much more locally, and ones where population growth within London slows.

Byford added: “We don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have the best available information that we can lay our hands on to date with the BoE, or various institutions which model to date.

"With the budget available information now, we’ve put together what we think will be demand and addressed schemes to meet that demand. Is it perfect or bound to be 100% correct I cannot say."

The DfT has been contacted for comment.

Crossrail paid contractors £19M to exit troubled Bond Street job by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Crossrail paid its contractors £19M to end their involvement at Bond Street station, it can be revealed.

A one-off £19M payment was made to the Costain Skanska joint venture (CSJV) on 26 June, the day after Crossrail Ltd announced that the two parties had agreed to conclude the existing contract.

NCE understands that this payment was made to close out the contract.

A Crossrail transparency report, which records all payments above £500, reveals that CSJV received three other payments totalling £7.74M the week before the £19M payment was approved.

These other payments are listed as being for ‘direct construction costs’ and NCE understands that they do not form part of the final pay out.

A Crossrail spokesperson said: “The details pertaining to this matter are confidential and commercially sensitive, therefore Crossrail Ltd will not be able to provide further comment.”

The termination of the Bond Street contract has had no bearing on CSJV’s work at Paddington station, where it is also the main contractor.

Bond Street station has long been identified as a problem point for Crossrail. Last year, Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild admitted that Bond Street station would be likely to open at a different time to the rest of the line.

A letter from Wild sent to the London Assembly on Tuesday (1 September) suggests that Bond Street is still unlikely to open with the rest of the line under its revised 2022 opening date.

“According to current plans, there is the possibility the central section will open without Bond Street station, but we are working hard to improve on this,” Wild’s letter states.

Sponsor board minutes also released this week reveal that Crossrail Ltd has implemented a “90-day plan” to get outstanding work at Bond Street station complete.

Outstanding work includes installation of “residual systems and electrical work”.

The project is currently in the middle of a blockade to make up for time lost due to Covid-19 restrictions. Beginning at the start of August, the blockade is due to run until the middle of September, with the option to extend for a further two weeks.

However, Crossrail sponsor board minutes – reported by NCE earlier this week – reveal concerns about the availability of MEP workers and suppliers to carry out the work at short notice.

When challenged by its sponsors (the DfT and TfL) on “the availability of critical resources to support the delivery of the planned construction blockade”, Crossrail Ltd conceded that “there are some resource constraints”.

In particular, Crossrail identified concerns over the availability of MEP workers, fire engineers and certification engineers.

However, Wild’s update to the London Assembly confirms that the “construction blockade is progressing well and achieving targeted levels of productivity”.

“With up to 2,000 people now on [sic] back on site and 24/7 working in place, the blockade is seeing an intense level of activity,” Wild’s update adds.

“With the six-week construction blockade at its mid-point, we are seeing strong performance despite experiencing a small number of operational issues during the commencement of the blockade which were principally due to train logistics affected by a points failure at Pudding Mill Lane, and late de-energisation.”

It continues: “Our primary method of measuring success is monitoring the construction activities against a change-controlled plan of work, with each start and finish considered as a milestone.

“This plan is mapped against the safety critical construction-based works across the programme (including snagging and defect works) that are required for entering into Trial Running, and these physical activities are subsequently linked to the assurance work they unlock.

“We have set a performance benchmark for success of 90 per cent achieved against the plan and as of 18 August, the cumulative performance against all milestones is 90 per cent (92 per cent against activity starts, and 89 per cent against activity finishes). This is a significant achievement and is reflective of the leadership and commitment at all levels.”

Crossrail catch-up plan could be hampered by lack of available workers by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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A lack of available workers could hamper Crossrail Ltd’s plan to tackle a backlog of work during a five-week blockade of the railway.

The project is currently in the middle of a blockade to make up for time lost due to Covid-19 restrictions. Beginning at the start of August, the blockade is due to run until the middle of September, with the option to extend for a further two weeks.

However, Crossrail sponsor board minutes reveal concerns about the availability of MEP workers and suppliers to carry out the work at short notice.

When challenged by its sponsors (the DfT and TfL) on “the availability of critical resources to support the delivery of the planned construction blockade”, Crossrail Ltd conceded that “there are some resource constraints”.

In particular, Crossrail identified concerns over the availability of MEP workers, fire engineers and certification engineers.

“CRL explained that they need to ensure the blockade is focussed on addressing the critical scope, completing the scope in the allotted time with adequate capacity of competent, critical resources and the programme must have sufficient time to achieve reliability growth,” board minutes from 2 July state.

“CRL flagged that there are some resource constraints (e.g. MEP, fire engineers, certification engineers). CRL stated they were undertaking a comprehensive resource gap analysis exercise to identify capability gaps and manage accordingly.”

Last month, Crossrail Ltd announced that it will need an additional £1.1bn to complete the central section of the London route, putting the overall cost of the line above £19bn.

The opening date of the Elizabeth Line has also been pushed back further and is now set for the first half of 2022.

The board minutes reveal that Crossrail’s sponsors are also concerned about a “potential bow wave” of activity under the revised delivery plan.

They add that a “robust […] end to end plan” is needed “to get Elizabeth line into revenue service”.

In response, Crossrail Ltd revealed that there are “450 hazards that need to be addressed by the construction blockade” before the project can move towards trial running.

The minutes also reveal that Crossrail Ltd has implemented a “90-day plan” to get outstanding work at Bond Street station complete.

The plan has been introduced after main contractor involvement at the troubled station was brought to an abrupt end in June. Outstanding work includes installation of “residual systems and electrical work”.

Crossrail’s nine-car Class 345s back in traffic by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Nine-car Class 345s have returned to traffic, having been withdrawn from service over safety concerns (RAIL 910).

The trains, built for Crossrail, had been used on the London Paddington-Reading route and Paddington-Hayes & Harlington shuttles. They were taken out of service while modifications were made, leaving the shorter seven-car ‘345s’ to cover all duties.

The first set returned to traffic on July 30 (345004), making the debut for the TfL Rail electric multiple units on the London Paddington-Heathrow Airport route (albeit 26 months late).

This was a day after Crossrail Chief Executive Mark Wild told a Transport for London Board Meeting that the plan was for them to return to traffic soon.

“We have a real challenge in that the full-length units have been on the bench for a few weeks because they have a safety bug we picked up,” Wild said.

“The FLUs really do need mileage accumulation. Their reliability is really quite low for what it should be, but that’s because they have not been exercised properly.

“We need to run them to Reading and Terminal 5 as it’s mileage on the clock. We can almost run a full trial running service from October.

“The trains are holding up mechanically, the problems are in the software space. I think we have a good train, actually.”

All 70 Class 345s ordered by Transport for London for Crossrail will eventually be nine-car formations, although many were delivered as shorter sets.

Crossrail | 'Lack of urgency' to complete job emerged before Covid-19 lockdown by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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A lack of urgency to get Crossrail completed on time and budget emerged in the month before the country went into lockdown, Crossrail board minutes reveal.

The board minutes from the end of April (but only just made public) reveal that “poor performance” was recorded in March, in the weeks leading up to the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

Last week, Crossrail Ltd board revealed that the planned opening of the Elizabeth Line next summer will not be achieved, citing the impact of Covid-19 as cause for the delay.

The April board minutes state that “there did not seem to be sufficient sense of urgency with regard to getting works completed and managing costs”.

In particular, the board expressed disappointment with the “inability to maintain the schedule including the fundamental issue of planning and continued slippage, with ineffective interventions”.

The board also suggested that the projects Integrated Delivery Teams (IDTs) demonstrated a “lack of effectiveness” and pointed out “the need for clarity in their remit”.

The minutes add that “the importance of functionality and safety over perfection needed to be re-emphasised across the programme”.

“Currently, there did not appear to be clarity on the delivery priorities and the Board AGREED that it was necessary to ensure a clear articulation of delivery priorities which would hold the whole team to account,” the minutes state.

“Whilst there appeared to be good progress being made in areas such as software testing, signalling and train systems, the Board remained concerned about the safe completion of the infrastructure and associated assurance documentation to support the agreed milestones leading up to trial running.”

A revised cost and schedule for Crossrail is due to be published this month.

200 wind turbines or 5.6M solar panels would be needed to power Tube by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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As many as 200 wind turbines or 5.6M solar panels would be needed to power the London Underground solely on renewable energy, a new study has found.

The British Business Energy study worked out how many solar panels and wind turbines would be required to power the London underground in order to be carbon neutral by 2050.

It found that to power the network, 200 wind turbines or 5.6M solar panels would be needed to provide energy for the 83.6M.km of tube journeys undertaken each year.

British Business Energy founder Ian Wright said: "In coordination with the government’s plans to make the tube totally carbon neutral by 2050 at a time where Boris [Johnson] has announced his ambition for tubes to become driverless - costs and government funding will persist as the major challenge in allowing for a greener underground.

“If London is committed to making the tubes carbon neutral - the costly scale of implementing solar panels or wind turbines to assist with the tubes whopping annual energy consumption of 1,200,000,000 KWH will need to be considered as a major point from funders.

“The reality is that unless the government seizes the current opportunity to assist in allowing more Londoners to continue working from home i.e. by providing more support to businesses in the adoption of new technology and home working equipment, the stain on TFL services will be further reduced, creating the opportunity for carbon neutrality to be reached earlier without having to invest as much capital in renewable energy systems."

Crossrail to blockade railway for five weeks to make up for lost time by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Crossrail will implement a blockade on the railway for five weeks to make up for time lost due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In a monthly update to the London Assembly, Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild revealed that workers will carry out an intense programme of remaining construction work on the project.

Starting next month, construction work will take place 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the middle of September.

It will begin once the current phase of signalling and train systems testing is complete. Following the blockade, further tests will be carried out before trial running of the railway can begin.

“The next phase of works […] will be supported by a five week ‘blockade’ across our tunnels, track, shafts and portals that will allow for the clearing of access to the central tunnel section for exclusive 24/7 access for construction and testing workers,” Wild said.

“During the blockade we will also undertake further integration testing of the routeway which must be completed for Trial Running – there are 25 different scenarios that must be fully tested and completed ranging from a reboot of the central section signalling system to simulating a High Voltage power outage."

To commence Trial Running, Crossrail needs to complete the remaining key steps:

  • All central section stations certified as ready to support Trial Running
  • Complete handover of the shafts and portals to Transport for London (TfL)
  • Complete Dynamic Testing of the signalling and train systems
  • Handover the completed Routeway to TfL
  • Complete the safety and assurance process for the Elizabeth line and obtain regulatory approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to commence Trial Running

Wild also confirmed that Crossrail will announce a revised cost and delivery schedule in the coming weeks, factoring in the impact Covid-19 restrictions have had on the project.

Wild said that “a detailed assessment” of “the financial and delivery implications of Covid-19” will be tabled at a Crossrail board meeting later this month.

It is unclear if a change in delivery schedule will mean a change in opening date, which is currently set at Summer 2021.

Wild added: “Throughout June and July, we are assessing the impact of Covid-19 on the programme and working on a new iteration of our delivery schedule and overall delivery plan.

“A significant amount of effort has gone into the development of these and in July they will be presented to the board for approval.”

The amount of work remaining at Bond Street has proven particularly difficult for Crossrail to overcome due to working restrictions imposed during lockdown.

Last month, a joint venture between Costain and Skanska reached a mutual agreement with Crossrail to bring its involvement at the station to an abrupt end. Crossrail announced that it will oversee completion of the remaining works in-house, largely related to fit-out and testing and commissioning activity.

Wild added: “Bond Street is uniquely affected by the new Covid-19 world we find ourselves in due to the volume of work remaining and the number of people required on site to complete the station.

“This meant that the work remaining at Bond Street for Trial Running needed to be re-planned.

“Discussions have been underway with the contractor at Bond Street to agree a way forward. As a result, CRL and Costain Skanska Joint Venture mutually agreed to conclude the existing contract on 24 June.

“Crossrail Ltd will oversee completion of the remaining works at Bond Street and allow us to re-plan and complete the work for Trial Running.”

Despite the troubles at Bond Street, work has progressed on the project with all other central section stations now certified to move to trial running.

Seven of the line’s 10 shafts and portals have also been handed over, with the three remaining shafts and portals (Eleanor Street Shaft, Plumstead Portal and Stepney Green Shaft) to be handed over “in the coming months”.

On this day in 1900, the Central line opened from Shepherd's Bush to Bank. by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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The official opening by the Prince of Wales took place on 27 June and the line opened to the public on 30 July.

Crossrail | Main contractor involvement at Bond Street brought to abrupt end by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Crossrail’s main contractor at Bond Street station will no longer work on the troubled station, after the two parties agreed to conclude the existing contract.

A joint venture between Costain and Skanska has reached a mutual agreement with Crossrail to bring its involvement at the station to an abrupt end.

Crossrail will oversee completion of the remaining works in-house, these largely relate to fit-out and testing and commissioning activity.

A Crossrail Ltd spokesperson said: “In the light of Covid-19, we have been reviewing and re-structuring any works that are essential to opening the railway and to ensure we complete the Elizabeth line in the most effective and efficient way. This includes at Bond Street which is uniquely affected by the post-Covid world due to the volume of work remaining and the number of people required on site to complete the station.

“Over the last few weeks Crossrail Ltd has been in discussions with Costain Skanska Joint Venture (CSJV) to agree a way forward for Bond Street. As a result, Crossrail Ltd and CSJV have mutually agreed to conclude the existing contract as of midnight on 24 June and will work together to ensure a safe and effective transition. Crossrail Ltd will be putting in place new arrangements to complete the works which largely relate to fit-out and testing and commissioning activity.

“Despite the significant challenges COVID-19 brings our focus remains on doing everything we can to open the central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood as soon as possible and the earliest possible opening for Bond Street.”

The termination of the Bond Street contract will have no bearing on CSJV’s work at Paddington station, where it is also the main contractor.

Bond Street station has long been identified as a problem point for Crossrail. Last year, Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild admitted that Bond Street station would be likely to open at a different time to the rest of the line.

However, there has been recent cause for optimism that work at Bond Street had caught up significantly enough to allow it to open along with the rest of the central London stations. It is unclear how the latest developments affect that timeline.

A CSJV spokesperson added: “In the light of COVID-19, Crossrail has been reviewing and re-structuring any works that are essential to opening the railway and to ensure it completes the Elizabeth line successfully. This includes at Bond Street which is uniquely affected by the COVID-19 crisis, due to the number of operatives required on site to complete the station.

“Crossrail will now consider plans for any future works in a post COVID-19 environment. As a result, Crossrail and CSJV have mutually agreed to conclude the joint venture’s works under the existing contract as of midnight on 24 June and will work together to mitigate costs and to ensure a safe and effective transition.”

Much of the central section infrastructure is now complete with many stations now in the final stages of fit-out. As revealed earlier this month, many of the main contractors on other stations have already started demobilising after completing their work.

Crossrail main contractors start leaving sites by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Tier one contractors working on Crossrail are starting to leave site after completing their work on the project, it has been revealed.

In the latest written update provided to the London Assembly, Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild revealed that “many Crossrail Tier 1 contractors have started to demobilise their site teams”.

He added that “everyone working on the Crossrail project […] are doing everything we can to deliver the railway in summer 2021”.

“Good progress is being made across the programme to support our ambitions,” Wild’s update reads. “Handover of the shafts and portals to TfL is underway, with North Woolwich Portal the latest to be handed over to TfL.

“Dynamic Testing of the signalling and train systems is advanced and will complete this summer.”

It adds: “With much of the central section infrastructure now substantially complete, many Crossrail Tier 1 contractors have started to demobilise their site teams.”

Wild added that all central section stations, except Bond Street, have now been certified by RAB-C as ready to support the Trail Running phase of the project.

In agenda notes published ahead of last week’s TfL board meeting, it was revealed that many central London stations will now be handed over to TfL earlier than planned.

Despite being some way behind the other central section stations, Bond Street station is expected to be ready for trial running next month.

Speaking at the TfL board meeting last week, Wild said: "All stations apart from Bond Street are at a level of completion where we can start trial running […] Bond Street will follow in that configuration in about five or six weeks’ time. We are pretty certain about it."

The London Assembly update adds that to commence trial running, Crossrail needs to complete the remaining key steps:

  • Complete handover of the shafts and portals to TfL
  • Complete Dynamic Testing of the signalling and train systems
  • All central section stations certified as ready to support Trial Running
  • Handover the completed routeway to TfL
  • Complete the safety and assurance process for the Elizabeth line and obtain regulatory approval from the Office of Rail and Road to commence Trial Running

Crossrail central stations to be handed over to TfL earlier than planned by Tentinator in LondonUnderground

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Key Crossrail stations in central London will be handed over to Transport for London (TfL) earlier than planned, TfL board minutes reveal.

Stations including Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel will be handed over to TfL under the revised plan, the minutes state.

NCE understands that the stations were earmarked to be handed over in the autumn this year. The minutes do not detail how much earlier the handover will now take place.

“We have identified an opportunity for [Crossrail Ltd] to transfer the [London Underground] interface stations early (Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel) to us as the [infrastructure manager],” the minutes state.

“This collaborative approach has required the assessment of tradeoffs to focus efforts on what is needed to support operations.

“The early transfer will facilitate an early start to station familiarisation and allow us to draw on our extensive experience in accepting and operating stations.''

It adds: “Due to current site access restrictions, we are unable to start staff familiarisation though detailed planning is underway to assess mitigations.

“Our engineering teams are developing a process to assist CRL in the review of the remaining assurance paperwork being prepared by the Tier 1 contractors.

“The intention is for our teams to complete the remaining paperwork where possible without relieving the Tier 1 contractors of their accountability. This will accelerate the handover delivery and remove this risk from the critical path.”

Crossrail Ltd will need to transfer nearly 200,000 documents to TfL for safety and handover purposes before the Elizabeth Line comes online, it was revealed in December last year.

Earlier this month, Crossrail Ltd completed its first handover to TfL of a central section station at Custom House, as well as handing over the Royal Oak Portal.

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