Crossrail stations in west London delayed until 2019 Tom Edwards

Transport correspondent, London

@BBCTomEdwardson Twitter Published duration 30 June 2017

image caption West Ealing station was due to be completed by the end of the year

"On time and on budget" is the mantra Crossrail have used thousands of times over the years. They can't use it anymore.

I've learnt that five new Crossrail stations that were due to be built in west London by Network Rail will be delayed.

Acton, West Ealing, Hayes and Harlington and Southall were due to be finished by the end of this year. Ealing Broadway was meant to completed by end of January next year.

That's all gone out of the window and they'll now be upgraded by the summer of 2019.

Today in West Ealing the building site is empty with little work completed - it was meant to be finished by the end of next month.

Local residents, like Dr Ben Sherliker have been fighting for months, if not years, to get answers from Network Rail but he says they have been kept in the dark. They were told there were only "minor delays".

image copyright Crossrail image caption West Ealing station was due to be completed by the end of the year

Ealing Council says it will now also have to delay its work around the stations.

The new Crossrail trains will start on the west London section next summer - the longer platforms will be there but the new stations built next to the old ones won't be ready.

The council has concerns the increased numbers of passengers could be a safety risk as they'll have to use the old, unsuitable station buildings.

The council also has considerable doubts the stations will be finished by 2019.

image copyright Bombardier image caption Crossrail trains will replace Heathrow Connect services

Why this has happened remains a mystery but it's no secret Network Rail's budgets are under pressure. Crossrail also points out 85% of the project is completed.

A spokesperson for Crossrail said: "Network Rail is a key partner in delivering the Crossrail project and is upgrading the existing railway in west London in preparation for Elizabeth line services."

The spokesperson added the stations would be ready when the Elizabeth Line starts running, which has services from Reading, Maidenhead and Heathrow.

Ben Wheeldon, programme director for Crossrail at Network Rail, said: "The new station building and accessible pedestrian footbridge will be completed by December 2019, which is when the Crossrail project completes and the full Elizabeth line services are introduced, linking Ealing with central London."