Elizabeth Line to finally open *

Better known up to now as Crossrail, and bypassing London City Airport, the Elizabeth Line is expected to open for passengers in the first half of 2022.

The initial services will run between Abbey Wood via Custom House (For ExCeL), Canary Wharf and Paddington Elizabeth line stations.  In his time as Mayor of London the current Prime Minister, and promoting the estuary airport, refused to contemplate a station at Silvertown for London City, backed up by Daniel Moylan (now Lord Moylan), his transport expert.  The station had existed on the previous North London line which the tracks follow.

Significant progress was made towards completing the Elizabeth Line over Christmas with planned upgrades taking place and work continuing at the two stations still to be handed over to Transport for London (TfL). The latest Siemens signalling software for the railway was commissioned along with the improved Alstom train software installed on trains. There were also upgrades to both the control communications system and the tunnel ventilation system.

The trial phase will involve a range of organisations, including TfL and Network Rail collaborating on the response to test scenarios along with thousands of volunteers. Emergency services including the British Transport Police, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service will also be involved, demonstrating how they would respond to incidents on the network and in stations. As a result, there will be times where police, fire and ambulance service vehicles may be seen near stations, testing and simulating what would happen in the event their staff were required to attend.

In the run up to opening the Elizabeth line, activity will be taking place on most days including weekends. Other exercises will include responding to train, signalling, platform screen door and track simulations.

Now costing around £20bn the Elizabeth line is well over budget and was due to be opened by The Queen in December 2018.

Elizabeth line – Transport for London

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Barry Graham, Washington

This will be so convenient for me when it opens all the way to East London. Malcolm you are right, too bad about LCY.

Jill Smith, Poplar

The line will be a great success when finally opened. And all the aggro will be forgotten. And Mr Ginsberg is right in highlighting the London City Airport fiasco brought about by Johnson. But don’t try and connect from the DLR at Poplar. Someone has forgotten to build the walkway to Canary Wharf.

John Jones, East Ham

When the line is finally opened who will represent the Government? I can recall the Olympics when the present PM was Mayor of London and had nothing to do with winning the bid, but took the glory.