16:55

On a good day to slip out written ministerial statements: the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, has revealed that the cost of the troubled Crossrail programme has risen again.

Works on track and stations on the overground section to the west of London, carried out by Network Rail, have run another £210m over budget since an update in 2018, bringing the total cost to date to more than £17.8bn.



Grayling said the cost would be met from internal Network Rail budgets – although it remains in effect taxpayers’ money as it is a state-owned body.

News of the confirmed cost overruns in Network Rail’s relatively small portion of Crossrail work – now more than 20% over its own allotted £2.3bn Crossrail budget – will fuel fears aired by the public accounts committee that the delayed rail line could end up costing substantially more yet. Network Rail said the additional time taken to deliver the project was to blame.

