Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there are no further delays to the opening of Crossrail beyond March 2021.

On 25 April 2019, Crossrail Ltd (CRL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Transport for London, announced that it had agreed a plan to complete the outstanding works and bring the Elizabeth line into passenger service at the earliest possible date.

Given the risks and uncertainties remaining on the project, CRL has identified a six-month delivery window for opening of the central section with a midpoint at the end of 2020.

The revised schedule will continue to be tested by CRL and the CRL Board through a thorough assurance process including close scrutiny from the Project Representative. The schedule will also be subject to challenge from both the Department and TfL as joint Sponsors.