Crossrail delayed again to autumn 2021
London's heavily delayed Crossrail scheme has been delayed again, with Transport for London now saying the opening is scheduled for autumn 2021.
The troubled train line, which will run from Berkshire to Essex via central London, was originally expected to open in December 2018.
But it has been beset by delays and gone millions of pounds over budget.
TfL bosses have now said the line will not run services until at least September 2021.
TfL commissioner Mike Brown said teams are working to bring that opening date closer to help secure revenue for the capital's transport fund.
"What we’ve looked at is a delay to the later stages of 2021 in terms of our business planning assumption," he said.
"Clearly both the chief executive of Crossrail, in my regular discussions with him, the chair and the board of Crossrail, know the imperative of bringing that date as forward as they can possibly and safely do so, because of the imperative of getting the revenue to flow into TfL overall."
He added: “These dates are indicative from a business planning perspective, they’re not what the plans of the supply chain or of the Crossrail team, which is to bring it forward to the earliest possible date.”
He also warned there remains a risk of unexpected delays on the railway, which will be called the Elizabeth Line when it opens.
Crossrail’s budget was set at £15.9 billion in 2007, but it is now expected to cost an estimated £18.25 billion.
After the original December 2018 date was missed, a plan to open between October 2020 and March 2021 was announced in April 2019.
TfL has lost between £500 million and £750 million in passenger revenue due to the delays.
Mr Brown confirmed that the latest injection of between £400 million and £650 million into the project, announced in November, would be the last amount of money needed.
An update from the Crossrail board with a more detailed timeline is expected on Thursday.
The first part of the railway to open will be the central section, with Elizabeth Line trains running between Paddington and Abbey Wood via central London.
All stations on this section are expected to be in operation on the opening day, except for Bond Street, which is delayed because of "design and delivery challenges".
Full services from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east will then commence "as soon as possible", according to Crossrail Ltd.