Budget for stretch between Paddington and Liverpool Street facing shortfall

Transport for London is expecting it to cost 拢460m to finish off the central section of Crossrail 鈥� but the project is still facing a 拢150m shortfall, documents have revealed.

The papers, published ahead of next week鈥檚 TfL programmes and investment committee meeting, say the central section of the project is expected to cost a total of 拢15.94bn, with 拢15.48bn already having been spent.

crossrail

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Remaining hoardings on Crossrail jobs are expected to start coming down in the next few months ahead of its June opening

Around 拢460m is still needed to finish the job off by June this year, the line鈥檚 revised opening time, but the project has an authorised budget of 拢15.79bn 鈥� meaning it is missing 拢150m.

Crossrail鈥檚 position has been that it needed an up to 拢1.1bn to complete the project ever since August 2020 but was handed 拢825m by government in the latest bailout.

This means the railway鈥檚 position on how much cash it needed has not changed in the intervening years with the total needed falling within its 拢1.5bn request.

The shortfall was also flagged by the Public Accounts Committee in a report published last June with project representative Jacobs also raising the funding issue.

The papers also reaffirmed the line, which was originally due to open in December 2018, would be opening without Bond Street. They added that the railway was working 鈥渢o get the earliest opening date for this station鈥�.

The costs of the central section do not include work being done on the line either side of this stretch with jobs east of Liverpool Street and west of Paddington bringing the total budget up to 拢18.6bn.

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