Oct 16 2007
Crossrail: More Brown Spin
In answer to parliamentary questions (see below), the Government has had to admit:
1) there is not yet a designed scheme for Crossrail;
2) there is no accurate costing, as they do not yet know what they are building;
3) there is no detailed signed financing agreement;
4) work could not conceivably begin before the next election.
Is this just another example of pre-early election spin?
Parliamentary Questions:
a) Question 158498: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps need to be completed before a construction contract can be let for work on Crossrail.
Jim Fitzpatrick
The Crossrail Bill needs to be given Royal Assent; the Department for Transport and Transport for London need to conclude a suite of agreements on project funding and governance arrangements; the relevant property needs to be acquired; and Cross-London Rail Links Ltd needs to complete project design and contract development work, issue invitations to tender and assess the resulting bids.
b) Question 158496: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the design work on Crossrail will be complete.
Jim Fitzpatrick
Design is a continuous process. Cross-London Rail Links Ltd expects to complete design work for the purpose of tendering construction contracts by the first quarter of 2009.
c) Question 158497: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when a decision will be taken on letting a construction contract for Crossrail.
Jim Fitzpatrick
Assuming that the Crossrail Bill gains Royal Assent in summer 2008, Cross-London Rail Links Ltd expects to commence the procurement process in the first quarter of 2009 and let construction contracts in the first quarter of 2010.
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John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
Many may be surprised to hear that many residents and London groups do not support Crossrail despite the press reports. The Residents Society of Mayfair and St James’s is only supportive of public transport schemes provided they are lawful, value for money and do not cause unnecessary harm. Crossrail fails on all these counts.
Crossrail will only alleviate congestion on the central line without regard to the rest of the tube network. Reputable experts have ridiculed the Crossrail plans described by the press. In evidence, professional rail planner Michael Schabas, who delivered the successful and much lauded Jubilee Line and Channel Tunnel Rail Link says about Crossrail: The analysis is so inadequate for a scheme of this size. Maybe if you are doing a garden shed, yes, but you are not supposed to do it this way.