The Elizabeth Line: Getting Up to Speed

Written By Guest User

Anyone travelling on the London Underground last week could not have missed the proud announcements adorning every station: ‘The Elizabeth line is now open’. Initially proposed in 1989 and with construction over a decade in the making, this latest addition to the Tube network promises to revolutionise the speed and experience of travel across the capital. Bisecting the city with 73 miles of track running from Shenfield in the East to Heathrow in the West, it is one of the UK’s most hotly-anticipated, big-capital and high-risk projects in recent years. Amidst the landscape of COVID-related frugality and cost of living increases, it feels almost novel to see a development with, as one urban-affairs expert describes it, such ‘wow factor’. [1]

The Elizabeth line, previously known as Crossrail, is undergoing a three-phase staggered opening. The central section opened in May 2022, hitting the target milestone to be operational in time for the Platinum Jubilee of its namesake Queen Elizabeth. Services from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield will then be connected with the central tunnels in autumn, with all separate sections to be fully joined by May 2023. [2]

Why Does It Matter?

At Deecon, we can certainly appreciate the Elizabeth line’s relevance. As a London-based company serving multiple clients across the capital, many of our team will make frequent use of the line. More importantly, construction and transport are two of our prime sectors. Indeed, one of our directors was closely involved in Crossrail’s commercial delivery in a previous role, whilst others in our team worked within Transport for London (TfL)’s capital function last year.

But why does the Elizabeth line matter more broadly? Firstly: its sheer scale and complexity. It is anticipated to serve around 200 million people per year, and increase the capacity of central London's rail network by 10%. [3]

Furthermore, TfL’s website claims that the line ‘includes pioneering technology and design’, making it ‘one of the most complex digital railways in the world’. [4] Undoubtedly, the Elizabeth line does represent legitimate advances in civil and technical engineering. Its integration with London’s existing architecture (both overground and underground) was no mean feat. Over a third of the line’s tunnels had to be dug afresh, some at a depth of ten stories, without hitting existing lines or sewage infrastructure. [5]

To account for these challenging conditions, its construction programme demonstrated repeated examples of ingenuity. For example, at the outset of the project, contractors successfully pioneered a new piling methodology to install Canary Wharf’s station box out of the riverbed – the first time this approach had been undertaken in the UK. [6]

Source: A megalopolis of engineering: the verdict on London’s £18bn new Elizabeth line, The Guardian (March 2022)

The project is also notable for its duration. For many, the Elizabeth line’s long-awaited opening represents a triumph over adversity. Its delivery has certainly not been immune to the recent tribulations faced by the construction sector: labour shortages, COVID-19, and the ongoing supply chain crisis. Granted, this project is an example of what can be achieved with a seemingly unlimited pot of money. However, the fact that its programme was carried to completion in this hostile climate, albeit with significant slippage, is testament to a powerful vision.

Lastly, the line has played a remarkable role in stoking public interest in large-scale infrastructure projects. Outlets around the world have heralded its arrival, with one New York Times headline proclaiming that London’s ‘Long-Awaited High-Tech Train Is Ready to Roll’.[7] Such global captivation is partly due to the dynamism and celebrity of TfL commissioner Andy Byford who steered Crossrail to completion. His delivery of other challenging overseas infrastructure projects, most famously the revival of the New York subway, has commanded him the respect of industry heavyweights and the public alike.

An effective PR strategy ensured that public interest in the Elizabeth line was sustained throughout its development. Harnessing social media to share the astonishing range of artefacts retrieved during excavation, from a woolly mammoth’s jawbone to a 16th century mass grave under Liverpool Street, gave an exciting human face to the project.[8] Cynics would argue that popular anticipation of the line’s opening is less a case of excitement than exasperation, since passengers were initially promised its opening in 2018. Either way, the ‘party atmosphere’ was palpable as commuters gathered to board the first train out of Paddington on its opening morning.[9]

Why is it Controversial?

Any project associated with such a sizeable budget, lengthy programme duration, and extensive public intrigue will inevitably be held up to scrutiny. Indeed, the Elizabeth line has not been without controversy.

Critics have levied accusations of London-centrism. The project has cost an estimated £18.25bn and was considerably over budget. Some have questioned whether the city which currently boasts the UK’s largest transport network is a deserving recipient of such substantial investment. Transport spending in London (per capita, annually) is three times greater than that of the West Midlands. [10] The completion of the Elizabeth line stings in light of rejected proposals to upgrade transport outside the capital, such as the introduction of a tram system in Liverpool. Meanwhile, plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (to connect Leeds to Manchester) were downgraded in 2021. [11]

Even if not outside of London, upgrading transport exclusively between its suburbs perhaps should have been the priority. Expediting travel into central London will make the city’s peripheries, previously less accessible by fast train, more desirable. This potentially creates two problems. Suburban property prices will inflate, increasing the cost of living for locals and contributing to gentrification as corporate millennials decamp there. An exodus of residents from London also plays into fears of the capital becoming a ‘ghost town’ outside of working hours, to the detriment of its economy.

Environmental concerns inform another valid critique. Critics argue that Crossrail was conceived of so long ago that its operation is no longer compatible with today’s environmental priorities. There were indeed huge upfront carbon and energy costs associated with its construction. The use of electric vehicles, whose use is predicted to increase hugely in the coming years, could well throw railways into obsoletion. However, the Elizabeth line is better than fuel-powered cars, using about 32g of CO2 per passenger-km, compared to 170g for single-occupancy cars. [12] This is particularly pertinent to suburban passengers who may use the line instead of driving to work.

Source: Time Out London

Moreover, the line will hopefully exemplify the environmentally-conscious attitude that future big-capital projects should adopt. 99.6% of excavated material from construction was beneficially reused, whilst trains were designed with energy-efficient regenerative braking. [13] Given that the line is partly powered by the National Grid, its environmental credentials will improve if the government honours its commitment to renewable energy.

Environment-aside, the line’s overall relevance has also been questioned. One professor of mobility and sustainable transport has suggested that upgrading the city’s cycle network would have been a more appropriate use of taxes, given that London Underground’s ridership is still at 70% of pre-pandemic levels. [14] That said, passenger usage is still trending upwards from the low of 5% in April 2020, so the Elizabeth line will be a key factor in this recovery. It will also play an important role in re-empowering London’s wider transport network. Increased revenue generated by Elizabeth line passenger fares can be directed to TfL’s other directorates, such as buses and major projects (e.g. station modernisations). This is hugely important: a functioning public transport system is a more democratic, accessible transport solution than car ownership.

Source: Andy Byford: ‘We can’t let London’s transport fall into managed decline’

Conclusion

The Elizabeth line is ambitious, transformative, and visionary in parts. It has also been expensive and arduous, with budget and programme slippages to make any project manager wince. What is clear is that sustained investment and resourcing are crucial to achieving an outcome of such scale.

But thinking holistically, its merits are numerous. It is a demonstration of the great craftsmanship and technical skill of British engineering. It keeps our construction industry on the map – whilst not quite a rival to Japan and China’s bullet trains, it is certainly a step in the right direction.

It has also been a brilliant showcase for the secondary benefits of big-capital projects. Crossrail has supported smaller businesses and supply chains – for example, by commissioning local architecture practices to design each station exterior in line with local character. More widely, the project has employed 75,000 people throughout its duration. [15]

Its upfront costs will also be offset by long-term economic benefits. Quick links to Heathrow will funnel tourists, and their wallets, more freely into the capital. And domestically too, putting a further 1.5 million people within 45 minutes of central London will encourage further visitation and spending on shopping, culture and dining. [16]

Accusations of irrelevance can be countered by the fact that the project accounts for modern priorities. All Elizabeth line stations will be step-free from street to platform, and spacious carriages will facilitate social distancing.

Ultimately, the Elizabeth line’s success hinges on the passenger experience it provides. As Byford says, ‘opening is one thing, opening reliably is another’. [17] As a Londoner, I’m sure I’ll very much enjoy the benefits that the Elizabeth line has to bring. The biggest shame is that these benefits are not yet able to be experienced by those living outside of London. Now that the end of this mammoth project is finally in sight, hopefully that will be next on the agenda.

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