Thames Valley: FSB blasts 'appalling' Crossrail delays

Responding to the announcement of a lengthy delay to the completion of the Crossrail project,Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “This appalling situation will cause both financial and reputational damage. It is embarrassing for the UK to be seen as unable to deliver this major infrastructure project on time or on budget, with knock-on consequences for UK plc.

“For Crossrail to announce such a huge delay only three months from the due date of a ten-year project is completely unacceptable. To blame ‘complexity’ is puzzling on a project which everyone knew from the beginning was complex.

“Small businesses along the route of the Elizabeth Line, from Berkshire to Essex and across London, have long been preparing for a December roll-out of the first phase of this vital new transport infrastructure.

“The delay means nine months of extra construction costs, nine months of lost revenues and nine months of continued pressure on the jam-packed transport routes Crossrail was meant to ease.”