The London Elizabeth line has been given the final authorisations of its stations, trains and infrastructure ahead of Crossrail’s long-awaited opening. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved all Elizabeth line stations, except for Bond Street, which means they all have the go ahead for meeting the requirements for passenger use.
Stations that have been given authorisations include Abbey Wood, Canary Wharf, Custom House, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Tottenham Court Road, Whitechapel and Woolwich. Bond Street will open for passengers later than the rest of the line but has been given the go ahead for save evacuation procedures.-
The long-delayed line will eventually run between Reading and Shenfield in Essex via Central London and Heathrow Airport. The project was originally due to open in 2018.
Read More: Crossrail: The new Elizabeth line and the stations trains will stop at
Transport for London has confirmed the new line is set to open to the public on Tuesday, May 24. The new railway will take commuters just 18 minutes to cross the capital from Paddington to Canary Wharf.
ORR has authorised the whole route for the Elizabeth line’s track and tunnel infrastructure which allows trains to run through the central section. The Crossrail project has worked closely with ORR for the last two years to make sure it meets the correct technical, safety and accessibility requirements before it can open to passengers.
Deputy Director of Engineering and Asset Management at the Office of Rail and Road Steve Fletcher said: “Delivery of the Elizabeth line is in its very final complex stages, but we’ve been working closely with the Crossrail project and Transport for London for some time to ensure smooth progress of authorisations. This co-operation means we’ve been able to provide these approvals in a timely manner and ensure this state-of-the-art railway can enter into service safely and reliably for passengers, and meet the schedule opening date of 24 May.”
Elizabeth line Director Howard Smith said: “With final preparations underway ahead of opening the Elizabeth line on Tuesday 24 May, we have been working closely with ORR on getting the final authorisations for our stations, trains and other infrastructure that will mean we can operate the new railway safely and reliably for all our future customers.”