New Elizabeth line opens across London and the South East
Transport for London (TfL) announced the official opening of the eagerly awaited Elizabeth line today, with new stations opening on the route between Paddington and Abbey Wood.
The Elizabeth line will transform travel across the capital and the South East, with improved transport links and quicker journey times, while providing additional capacity and accessibility with spacious new stations and walk-through trains.
We have been a trusted sub-consultant of the Programme Partner, Transcend (a joint venture between Aecom, Jacobs and Nichols), for Crossrail since 2009, providing commercial, controls, cost and risk management support.
We played a key role in getting Crossrail set up as a major programme and achieving support from sponsors to deliver the programme. We were also instrumental in re-building Crossrail’s Programme Controls capability when the programme obtained new leadership in 2019.
In 2020, we were selected to take on the role as project manager on the Crossrail Engineering Safety and Assurance Case (CESAC); a separate programme to lead on the transition of the Elizabeth line from a major construction project to an operational railway.
In addition to working for Crossrail, from 2013 to 2019, we supported Network Rail in delivering several major upgrades to successfully improve the capability and capacity of the infrastructure to support Elizabeth line services.
Crossrail was one of the largest railway infrastructure projects in Europe. The Elizabeth line has 21 kilometres of new twin bore tunnels, 10 new stations and more than 50 kilometres of new track, with integration of three signalling systems and upgrades across existing infrastructure.
The new line will play a crucial role in London’s recovery from the pandemic, helping to encourage reduced car use and meet London’s net-zero agenda by providing new and greener travel options, while also supporting regeneration across the capital and adding an estimated £42bn to the UK economy. Crossrail also provides a rich source of learning for other major programmes around the world.
Patricia Moore, UK Managing Director, said: “In connecting London from east to west, the opening of the Elizabeth line represents an incredible achievement for everyone involved. The opening couldn’t come at a more important time for the capital as it seeks to recover from the global pandemic.
"In delivering a greener way of travelling and bringing existing and new communities closer together, the Elizabeth line will have a social, environmental and economic impact on the South East for decades to come. As a key part of the programme team, I am immensely proud of the integral contribution that our people have made to Crossrail from its early stages through to the railway’s successful opening."
Our team played a critical role in getting the requisite capability to the programme at the right time. We were fundamental to the initial Crossrail set up, throughout the delivery phases and then in the programme re-set over the last three years to ensure the railway’s central section could reach completion and transition into its operating state.
"The construction industry must learn from Crossrail whilst continuing to benefit from the significant legacy of talent and skills the programme has created. Crossrail’s story will be invaluable as we look to transform performance on delivery of the UK’s ambitious infrastructure pipeline that is so crucial to a greener, more inclusive and more productive future.”
Image copyright Crossrail Ltd