Work on Crossrail's central London stations is due for completion by Easter and late running Bond Street station is expected to be complete when the central section of the line opens in 2021, according Crossrail Ltd documents submitted to Transport for London (TfL) ahead of a board meeting today.

The documents reveal that work on central London stations is expected to be finished by Easter, except for Bond Street and Whitechapel which are expected to be complete at the end of the year.

“The central section remains on schedule to be substantially complete by the end of the first quarter this year, except for Bond Street and Whitechapel stations where work will continue until the end of 2020,” the minutes state. “Fit-out is nearing completion at many stations with all physical works very nearly complete in the tunnels, shafts and portals.”

Despite this, the documents say that Crossrail Ltd “has increasing confidence that Bond Street will be ready to open with the rest of the central section”.

Crossrail Ltd has said it expects Elizabeth line services to start running through central London between Paddington and Abbey Wood in summer 2021. Full services across the Elizabeth line route from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east will not start until mid-2022.

The documents say that “good progress” is being made with software, signalling and train system integration and “trial running” is expected to begin this autumn.

They add: “After trial running, a final phase known as trial operations is required before the Elizabeth line can open for passenger service.

“Trial operations involves people being invited onto trains and stations to test real-time service scenarios.”

Trial operations is scheduled to last between nine and 12 months and will involve training for maintenance and training teams before handover is complete.

“To achieve the necessary levels of competence in maintenance delivery ahead of further handovers in the central section, the maintenance and training teams are using the sites that have been handed over,” the report adds. “The maintenance team is also providing track inspection support to the Crossrail contractors to become familiar with the assets and locations prior to becoming the infrastructure manager.

“We are also preparing to provide maintenance support on the systemwide elements ahead of handover. This will enable the maintenance team to gain valuable hands-on experience, familiarisation and readiness.”

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