A new plan to complete the outstanding works and bring the Elizabeth Line into passenger service at the earliest possible date has been developed by the new Crossrail team.

This is based on a “logically linked and detailed Delivery Control Schedule”, in which around 120 key milestones have been identified and are being tracked.

The company (www.crossrail.co.uk) says: “By the end of the year, the final fit-out, testing and commissioning process is due to be completed at many stations, and we are on track to complete fit-out and testing of the tunnels by January 2020.

"This will allow the new stations and rail infrastructure to be integrated with the rest of the railway.

"We will undertake testing of the completed railway during 2020, including an extensive period of trial running and trial operations to build absolute confidence in the safety and reliability of the whole system before opening to the public.”

Due to the complexity of the remaining work, Crossrail Ltd has identified a six-month delivery window (between October 2020 and March 2021) for the start of Elizabeth Line services through central London.

“However, this is the most difficult and challenging phase of the programme, with significant integration and testing to complete.

"Crossrail continues to actively manage the three critical paths — train and signalling software, tunnel systems and stations, shafts and portals.

"As the programme to complete and test the railway progresses, Crossrail will be able to provide increasing certainty about when the Elizabeth line will open.”