Delivering Crossrail
Delivering a world-class affordable railway safely through effective partnerships
Crossrail is the largest addition to the south east rail network in 50 years. In delivering a project of this size Crossrail faces many different challenges to those of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL).
Crossrail is an urban metro service, rather than a long distance railway. It is a multiple worksite programme with construction works running concurrently across the whole route.
Unlike CTRL which had a single delivery organisation, Union Railways, Crossrail is:
- a programme involving many delivery partners: Crossrail Central, London Underground, Network Rail, DLR, Canary Wharf Group and Berkeley Homes;
- Crossrail has five tunnelling drives, 21 km of twin bore tunnels under the centre of the capital dealing with the complexities that this involves;
- eight new underground stations which have to be connected to the existing Underground and rail networks;
- four overground spurs including a connection to Heathrow Airport.
Since gaining Royal Assent Crossrail Ltd has transformed from being a promotional body to one able to deliver this world-class affordable railway. The team has also been strengthened through the appointment of world-class delivery partners.
Throughout construction Crossrail will seek to minimise disruption to the existing network, London and the south east as a whole. This section of the website provides detailed information on our key delivery areas and explains the methods and processes through which the railway will be delivered.
