Will Omicron affect the Crossrail launch?

How will the Omicron variant affect the expected launch date of Crossrail?

In a letter to Mark Wild, Chief Executive of Crossrail, the London Assembly Transport Committee has flagged a number of issues it believes need to be addressed in the coming months before and soon after the line opens. In the letter, the Committee:

• Expresses concern about the impact of the Omicron variant on Crossrail trial operations.
• Recommends that TfL carries out a review of Crossrail’s new governance arrangements once the Elizabeth Line central section has opened.
• Wants clarification over Crossrail meeting the £825m budget, and the potential need to return to Treasury for further funding.
• Believes there is a need for a deeper learning exercise when it comes to community engagement with different groups, including local residents and businesses.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said:

“The London Assembly Transport Committee has a long-standing interest in Crossrail and its progress towards opening. We were pleased to hear in our November meeting, that Crossrail is still confident of opening the central section in the first half of 2022.

However, a number of issues have concerned us – particularly if and how the Omicron variant will affect the launch timetable. It may be difficult to predict at this stage but an assurance that we will be kept updated is required. Other issues relate to governance, funding, lessons learned and community engagement.

All Londoners look forward to their first trip on an Elizabeth Line train and we all hope that this long overdue project will be up and running as planned, early next year.”