Elizabeth line is tangibly close to completion, TfL says
The completion of Crossrail’s Elizabeth line is ‘tangibly close’, according to Transport for London’s commissioner Andy Byford.
“It really is that close,” Byford said this morning during a TfL board meeting. “We have really put huge effort into getting the trials off [to a start].
The commissioner added that the quick turnaround of stations was one of the project’s main sources of pride.
“We have commissioned not just on the Elizabeth line but also on the Northern line 10 stations in around 11 months, and that’s unheard,” he added.
Byford’s comments come a week after Canary Wharf became the latest station to be transferred from Crossrail to TfL.
“The handover of Canary Wharf is a big achievement, as well all know the history of Canary Wharf,” added Crossrail’s chief executive Mark Wild. “And that puts us in a configuration where stations are now ready for revenue service.”
As for Bond Street, Wild argued the station is almost ready. “Bond Street is already in a state where it can accept revenue run through but not actually passengers,” he added.
TfL announced on 18 January that the project, which was delayed for more than four years, would see the light in the second half of this year.
Commenting on the news, London mayor Sadiq Khan said at the time: “Its brand new trains and step-free stations will help us deliver a modern, truly world-class transport system that allows us to support the growth in London’s population over the coming decades.
“That’s why I’m delighted it is on track to open in the first half of 2022, in what will be a landmark moment for the capital.”