TfL Board Commissioner’s Report: Crossrail

[Below are the noteworthy extractions from the Commissioner’s Report – MWM]

Sponsors

Crossrail (CRL) has submitted to Sponsors a comprehensive update of the scope, schedule and costs of the project (the Initial Control Baseline or ICB), including an assessment of delivery risks. CRL is refining the ICB design and developing proposals to ensure the project is delivered in a cost effective manner.

CRL’s Industry Partners (including London Underground, Network Rail, Rail for London, Canary Wharf Group and Berkeley Homes) continue to refine the design. Network Rail and CRL are focusing on the work required for Network Rail’s Key Date 1 (KD1) submission to CRL, due by 1 September 2010. KD1 requires overall cost and schedule submissions by Network Rail, as well as a detailed plan for the first Delivery Phase.

Procurement

Procurement continues apace with a number of contracts recently awarded, including enabling works at Bond Street, Farringdon, Paddington and Whitechapel stations, as well as Pudding Mill Lane and Royal Oak tunnel portals. Contract notices have also been published for the main civil works at Bond Street, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Tottenham Court Road and Whitechapel stations.

The integration of the works required at Paddington is complex, but CRL, Network Rail and LU are working together to agree the Paddington Integrated Project (PIP) programme. The release of PIP phase 1 has allowed critical works to be progressed. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) Crossrail design review panel has given its support for the PIP designs.

CRL has also invited expressions of interest for the three major rail tunnelling contracts that will deliver tunnels underneath central London, linking the Great Eastern and Great Western mainlines, and which will form the centrepiece of the project, and for the twin bored tunnels from Plumstead Portal to North Woolwich Portal. The contracts are expected to be awarded during 2010. Following a detailed review, Plumstead shaft is no longer needed to service the tunnel boring machines on the Thames Tunnel drive. This will be reflected in the revised design.
Work continues on the scheme at Westbourne Park and Old Oak Common, to integrate the Royal Oak tunnel portal, First Group bus depot work and the CRL depot work (in both construction logistics and railway operational phase). Preparatory work, managed by Network Rail on behalf of CRL, has commenced at the future tunnel entrance at Royal Oak in west London.

Property

CRL continues to meet, or exceed the legal requirements for compulsory purchases.
The squatters who occupied the Bath House Pub in Dean Street moved out on 31 January, ahead of a High Court hearing at which a possession order was granted. One flat in Diadem Court, Dean Street is still occupied, and is likely to continue to be until mid-March.

Corporate Affairs

On 11 February, a media event was held at the Canary Wharf Station site, where the Transport Minister Sadiq Khan started the pumps to commence dewatering the coffer dam surrounding the site in the North Dock.

The GLA Transport Committee’s report ‘Light at the End of the Tunnel; The Construction of Crossrail’ was published on 23 February. The report contains six recommendations, covering funding, the provision of information, the Compulsory Purchase Order process, skills and employment, and the environment.

An informal meeting of CRL and TfL Audit Committees noted the progress made since CRL became a subsidiary of TfL, and recognised the value of the Integrated Assurance Group, established to ensure that the numerous Industry Partners (including LU, DLR and Network Rail) work together in delivering the project.