Crossrail Progress - February 2010

The Crossrail Act received Royal Assent on 22 July 2008, granting the powers to build the railway, and Crossrail construction began on 15 May 2009 with work commencing at the new Crossrail Canary Wharf station.

The main construction programme begins along the route this year (2010).

In the past year Crossrail moved rapidly ahead with progress which included:

• Crossrail Central, a consortium of Bechtel, Halcrow and Systra appointed Crossrail Project Delivery Partner and Transcend, a consortium of AECOM, CH2M Hill and Nichols Group appointed Crossrail Programme Partner;
• Work at underway on three stations - Canary Wharf, Farringdon and Tottenham Court Road.
• Terry Morgan appointed Chairman with Rob Holden appointed as Chief Executive and new top level management team in place;
• Station design contracts awarded for all central area stations and portals;
• Invitations to Tender for first two tunnelling contracts issued;
• Crossrail confirms that some 4 million m³ of excavated materials will be transported to Wallasea Island in Essex for creation of a new nature reserve;
• Crossrail and Port of London Authority sign memorandum of understanding for removal of excavated materials by river;
• Islington Council approves plans for Crossrail/Thameslink station at Farringdon;
• OJEU issued for Paddington Integrated Programme;
• OJEUs issued inviting bids for Crossrail tunnelling packages for Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road Tender submissions;
• Crossrail Visitor Information Centre opened at Tottenham Court Road;
• Site at Aldersbrook in Newham acquired for Tunnelling Academy and OJEU for construction issued;
• European Investment Bank confirms £1 billion loan to TfL for Crossrail;
• TfL (Transport for London) award Tottenham Court Road London Underground (LU) station redevelopment to Taylor Woodrow Construction and BAM Nuttall Limited;
• Government confirms that the route from Maidenhead to Reading and from Abbey Wood to Hoo Junction in Kent have been safeguarded to allow a potential future extension of Crossrail;
• Crossrail awarded all 25 design framework contracts;
• Crossrail Central appoints Chief Architect;
• Crossrail awards first contracts under the Crossrail Enabling Works Framework;
• Preparatory works underway at Royal Oak tunnel portal site