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Crossrail exceeded its budget and schedule because its management team clung to an unrealistic opening date, according to a report by the National Audit Office regarding the delayed transport project.
The NAO said that although problems appeared in 2015, Crossrail had not seized the opportunity to change approach or produce a delivery plan detailed enough to track its progress.
The rulings were motivated by the desire to meet the December 2018 deadline set for the central part of the new west-east railway line under London to begin carrying pbadengers.
But this approach has led to "choices that have clearly undermined public value," the NAO said. According to the report, "the tight schedule, the contractual model, the loss of downward pressure on costs and the lack of feasible plan were put in place by Crossrail in an atmosphere of" do it "which is become unrealistic, "said Crossrail last week. until March 2021.
Changes in design and schedules have resulted in increased costs for most of the 36 major project contracts, the report says. The costs of civil works at the Whitechapel station alone in December 2018 had increased to £ 659m, six times the original budget estimate and more than double the amount estimated in 2015. Crossrail's overall budget is from £ 14.8m to £ 17.6bn.
The report revealed that Crossrail Ltd, operating with great autonomy over the system's sponsors, Transport for London and the Department for Transport, "had a gap in its understanding of the delivery risks and the likelihood of meeting the date of delivery. opening of December 2018 ". He said that "the badumptions about the level of achievable progress were little similar to the historical progress made by entrepreneurs".
Management also generated unnecessary costs by conducting preliminary tests that were "limited in use and taking the time and space available to construction workers at the site". Crossrail also attempted to rehire staff laid off last year in anticipation of the opening of the program.
Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: "Throughout the delivery, and even when the pressures have increased, Crossrail Ltd has clung to the unrealistic idea of being able to complete the schedule according to schedule initially, which has had adverse consequences. "
He added that the magnitude of the losses could not yet be evaluated, but that a number of choices over the course of this project clearly undermined public value. "
Public Accounts Committee Chair Meg Hillier said the program has been disrupted by spiraling costs and delays. She said: "It is disturbing that Crossrail Ltd has long been mistaken about its ability to meet its initial opening date and the project management program of more than £ 17bn was not at the height".
Andy McDonald, the ghost union's transportation secretary, said it was "another disastrous failure of ministerial oversight by transport secretary," Chris Grayling.
Last month, Crossrail set itself the goal of introducing services on the central section of the Elizabeth Line – the official title of the route – between October 2020 and March 2021. The NAO warned that Crossrail had not yet fully evaluated the impact of this delay on costs.
Mark Wild, General Manager of Crossrail, said he would carefully consider the NAO's recommendations. He added that the new management team had "undertaken a detailed audit of the exceptional work and developed a solid and realistic plan to complete the Elizabeth line and allow the railway to enter pbadenger service as soon as possible".
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