Today the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has slammed the Department for Transport and Crossrail for their parts in the costly delay to complete the flagship Crossrail project.
A report by the respected committee has found that the fixation on December 2018 delivery deadline led to warning signs being missed or ignored, and that the Department for Transport and Crossrail have still not identified the root causes of delays and cost increases.
The Committee has also called for the Department for Transport to urgently set out what consequences senior officials have faced for programme failures.
Erith and Thamesmead MP, Teresa Pearce said:
“Frankly, I am dismayed by the Public Accounts Committee findings.
“Crossrail was due to open in December 2018 bringing in a vital new rail service through London for local people from Abbey Wood station.
“A revised opening in autumn 2019 had been advised, but in all honesty my confidence in that timetable – and whether the £2.8 billion loan will be sufficient – has been shattered.
“It is inconceivable to me that the Department for Transport and Crossrail were not able to identify the root causes of the delay to the Public Accounts Committee. This is mismanagement on an epic scale.”
The full report can be read here : https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news-parliament-2017/crossrail-progress-review-report-published-17-19/
