Inside Crossrail: Europes Most Ambitious Transport - Report Example

Inside Crossrail: Europe’s Most Ambitious Transport Project [Name of Student] [Name of Affiliate Institution] Table of Contents RUNNING HEAD: Inside Crossrail: Europe’s Most Ambitious Transport Project 1 Inside Crossrail: Europe’s Most Ambitious Transport Project 2 2 Inside Crossrail: Europe’s Most Ambitious Transport Project 4 Introduction 4 Executive summary 4 Full Scope 5 Background of the Project 5 Significance of the Crossraill Network 7 Project Stakeholders 9 Project milestones 11 Gantt chart 11 PERT Chart 12 Work Breakdown Structure 16 Budget and project financing 17 The Business Rates Supplements 18 Budget Estimates 20 Risks and Challenges 21 Heritage 22 Industry Best Practices 22 Demonstrated competencies 24 Conclusion 24 References 25 Inside Crossrail: Europe’s Most Ambitious Transport Project Introduction Crossrail railway development has been deemed Europe’s most ambitious engineering project. The development is a critical case study in modern civil engineering as it brings to the fore some of the most advanced practices in the field. The project entails the expansion of the London’s railway network into the largest and most efficient in Europe. The project which began four years ago and which is set to be opened in 2018 consists of 56 kilometres of newly constructed tunnels, railway stations, interchanges that connect with the outer suburbs and to the city centre, and connections to the Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in the world (Appiah, 2015). One indicator of the extent of the ambitious project is its astronomical budget, surpassing $ 20 billion and the fact that the whole system is built about 40 meters below the city. This analysis will provide a brief overview of the project and the critical components of each stage. Executive summary Infrastructure development is a focus of many countries in the world today. The main justification for the increased investment in the sector is that it acts as an important economic catalyst. There are many projects that are coming up today in the world that are driven towards rapid movement of people and goods. Other reason for the push is the rising need to decongest the cities and rid them of public transport (Al-Hudhaif, 2015). London and the other top cities in the world have been investing vast sums of money in development of modern transport ecosystems; from subways, modern train systems and better roads, the cities drive to ensure that the transport ecosystem addresses the challenges that arise from the strategic positioning of the cities as global commerce hotspots. The drive towards futuristic designs is partly driven by the need to incorporate sustainable practices. The focus of this paper is to analyse what has been deemed to be ‘Europe’s most ambitious project,’ the Crossrail. Full Scope The proposed project is designed to serve the entire London and the other areas of the greater South East and at its completion is expected to be connected to the main network in the country, increasing its capacity by over 10% (Appiah, 2015). The new tunnels and the stations that are to be constructed in strategic places such as Wimbledon, New Southgate and Tottenham, and connect the London over ground to the underground segment, the national and the international systems. One of the merits of the system is that it will help increase the overall capacity of the network, reduce the time that users spend, and cutting the length of journeys to some of the destinations. Background of the Project The idea behind the Crossraill project is not a new one. The city of London has for many years envisaged tunnels of railway systems. In 1914, George Dow, a renowned railway builder, proposed the concept of underground railway tunnels crisscrossing the central business district in London and connecting the different lines such as the Liverpool Street main station (Appiah, 2015). The city on London, in 1934, developed the County of London Plan which laid the ground for the great project. The following year, Sir Patrick Abercrombie was one of the leaders who proposed the Great London Plan which further affirmed the idea of creation of a central railway system. Between 1944 and 1974, there was the evolution in planning and restructuring of the paths. The idea took several iterations in thought and ideation, from meetings and conferences, and research. The term ‘Crossraill’ came up in 1974 with the presentation of the London Rail Study Report that was prepared by the Department of Environment in conjunction with the Greater London Council. The aim of the report prepared was to take a look into the future of the city, especially pertaining to the transport needs. The report took an audit of the future of the city and proposed a Strategic Plan for the city (MacLennan, 2015). The report was a culmination of the many efforts from the 1940s and it further consisted of plans for the establishment and extension of the then railway line. The report proposed the re-establishment of the Northern and Southern Tunnels which contributed to the overall network. There have also been several aspects that have been done to improve the system over time. The system that was in place in 1974 was estimated to have improved the number of passengers using the transport about 14,000 passengers in the Northern Tunnel. The focus of developing the railway system had the connection to services such as the Heathrow Airport in place (MacLennan, 2015). Between 1974 and 2005, there was proposed and execution of several changes such as the Central London Rail Study, the East South Crossrail Project and the North South Crossrail project in 1989. The Cross London Rail Link program advanced in 2001 which was a joint venture between the Department of Transport and the segment tasked with the development of the London Transport initiative. The 2004 Superlink proposal proposed the development of additional infrastructure to the city’s transport which are seen to be the precursor of the new system. The concept of Crossrail went through the British Parliament in 2005 and was passed soon thereafter. In 2oo7, the government secured funding for the project and it was set to flow (MacLennan, 2015). The main route of the crossrail was determined in 2004. The initial concept was that the system would comprise of several trains carrying an estimated 1,100 people every 2.5 minutes. Significance of the Crossraill Network The new railway network, though expensive and complicated to put up would, in the long run, contribute immensely to the economy of the city, eliminate transport problems and effectively help to deal with the forecasted challenges in the transport domain in the city. By full completion in 2018, the proposed system is expected to boost the capacity of the network. It would be able to support the regeneration of the infrastructure of the county (MacLennan, 2015). It would ease mobility in the city, support many households and lead to the creation of an estimated 200,000 new jobs. It is important to appreciate that the city of London is one of the most important global destinations. The city is growing exponentially and due to its strategic position as a leader in commerce and other aspects such as tourism, and hence the need to remain relevant. The city and the entire South East are growing too (MacLennan, 2015). The city of London currently boasts of being home to an estimated 8.6 million people. It is expected to grow to about 10 million by 2030. The growing population implies that more and more people will have to pass through the city on a daily basis. The number of people will further see an extra five million journeys passing through the cities on a daily basis. This necessitates the planning for the new deal. The current system has to be revamped in order to prepare itself for the future. As it currently stands, furthermore, overcrowding is expected to double on the Tube by 2040 and that the National Railway System is expected to also strain due to the transport challenges (MacLennan, 2015). The sole purpose of the new system is thus to offset the strain in the long term. The first segment of the Crossraill, the Crossraill 1, is expected to address the transport challenges in the short term while the second segment, the Crossraill 2, is expected to address the future challenges on the transport system by opening up the South East. The objectives of the Crossrail, especially in the long-term, can be summed up as: The proposed new system will be instrumental in aiding the travel across the city and the growing South East region. It would provide direct services to all the destinations across the specified region and form the pinnacle of transport in the future. The new rail system would be an economic catalyst, directly contributing to the future growth of employment and easing the movement of goods (MacLennan, 2015). The number of jobs that the project is estimated to create is 60,000 full time careers and about 200,000 new jobs at full functioning of the Crossraill 2. The direct and indirect contribution of the new system to the economy makes the Return on Investment justifiable. Easing congestion in the city. The system is expected to increase the capacity of the old system by approximately 10%, enabling a further 270,000 people to travel into and out of the city at peak hours. The system will thus reduce crowding in the city, minimize congestion and increase flow. The system is also expected to free space on the main National Rail Lines. This will effectively allow better transport to neighbouring towns such as Cambridge and Portsmouth. These neighbourhood locations have the capacity to benefit from the London system and from the increased frequency of visits made possible by the new system. Other benefits include supporting the development and regeneration of approximately 200,000 homes in the region and providing better access at the rail stations (MacLennan, 2015). Project Stakeholders There are many people who have contributed immensely to the shaping up of the project. The government and the city of London authorities have been the most fundamental stakeholders due to their role in decongesting and making the city habitable. The Secretary of Transport is one of the leaders of the project and has, since the introduction of the project, invested a lot of time in the shaping up of the project (Al-Hudhaif, 2015).The Cross London Rail Link company is also a key stakeholder in the initiative due to its role in rail industry in the country. The Heathrow Airport can be seen as one of the most important service stakeholders that the city had to serve. The growing capacity of the airport implied that solutions had to be put in place to address its future challenges. The Transport for London is an entity that spearheads development of transport in the city and together with the Department of Transport, they have brought together all the players in the project, the sponsors and even the contractors. About 17 companies were subcontracted to oversee the completion of specific packages of work (Al-Hudhaif, 2015).The project required up to 14,000 people at its peak and there was hence the need for proper human resource practices and health and safety considerations. Network Rail, the overseers of the project, awarded a major contract worth an estimated $198m to Balfoust Beatty Rail to construct the section of the network from Plumstead to Abbey Wood. The communication and networking contract was awarded to Siemens who were tasked with supplying and operationalizing the communication systems required in the tunnels and the stations (Al-Hudhaif, 2015).At the same time, Alstom, TSO and Costain companied came up to form the ATC joint venture and together won the fitting out contract for the tunnels that is valued at about £ 350m. Another joint venture of Samsung and Invensys Rail were tasked with installing and commissioning of a communication-based train control system (MacLennan, 2015). The system would be based on the central section of the project. There were many more contractors and players who have been subcontracted in order to bring the job to fruition. Project milestones Gantt chart (Source: http://www.crossrail.co.uk/ ) PERT Chart The job, as noted in the previous segment, is a complex undertaking requiring a lot of precision. The tasks have been divided into the five main segments as shown on the Gantt chart above. Tunnelling This entails drilling of the tunnels that would allow the trains to pass through to and from the stations, which are mostly underground. The tunnelling works commenced in 2012 at the central station. 2013 was regarded as the year of the tunnel, with the works extending to the station and the other areas (Al-Hudhaif, 2015).The tunnelling works ended by the end of 2015. The time for the tunnelling has seen about 42 kilometres of new tunnels done. Station construction and civil engineering The project, as noted elsewhere in this report, will see the construction of about 10 new stations, especially across the central and south eastern sections of the city. This is in addition to the connections that will be established with the already existing stations. The works on the construction of the stations and the related civil engineering details commenced in 2012 and are expected to continue till the end of the project in 2018. Network rail systems The establishment of the network rail works is another core investment by the management of the project. It is important to appreciate that the company at the core of the management of the project is injecting a lot of funds in the improvement of the existing railway network in readiness for the Crossrail project. This is largely due to the fact that approximately 75% of the Crossrail routes run on the surface on the existing network (Al-Hudhaif, 2015).This network goes to places like the outer London and Sussex. This works are therefore significant in the delivering of many benefits to the customers and the transformation of many areas that the path will pass through. Being one of the most extensive and most demanding jobs, the network rail works commenced in 2012 and are expected to go beyond the official opening date, near to the end of 2020. Railway systems This stage of operations takes a focus on doing the complex fitting of the tunnels and the stations. The network has to be fitted in preparation for the official opening of the networks. The works on the railway systems include the installation on the new tracks, working on the ventilation systems in the tunnels, fixing the high voltage power systems that the trains and related systems will use, working on the traction power and installation and commissioning of the communication equipment that are critical for full functioning of the project (Al-Hudhaif, 2015). There are many other things that have to be fixed in tandem with the fixing of the railway systems and hence the need for the systems to be fitted by highly qualified people. The works on the railway systems commenced in 2014 and are expected to conclude by mid-2017. Trains and railway depot The rail system will incorporate a complete new fleet of trains that are approximately 200 metres in length. Each of the trains will have a capacity to carry about 1,500 people and will be fitted with amenities such as Wi-Fi and 4G networks for the use by the customers. The new trains that are being developed and tested by different contractors will be designed using modern approaches, and will consist of modern and spacious interiors (Al-Hudhaif, 2015). Each train will consist of nine carriages that are fully connected to each other and which will allow easy movement of customers in between. The fleet will comprise of a total of 66 new trains. This implies that in one shift the trains will be able to carry about 99,000 people. The trains are designed to be lightweight yet comfortable. They are also expected to be highly energy efficient, regenerating electricity back to the grid. The works on the trains and railway depot began in 2014 and are expected to be concluded in mid-2017 and then await the official opening. Official launch/introduction of services By May 2017, the first trains are expected to enter passenger service and be used between Liverpool Street, Main Line and Shenfield. The opening is expected to extend to the route between Paddington and Heathrow Airport. By moving to the path and connecting to Terminal 4, it is expected to replace the existing Heathrow Connect Service (Al-Hudhaif, 2015).It will also substantially replace the Great Western inner service. By December 2018, the Crossrail is expected to open between Paddington and Abbey Wood. The final phase of the network, the extension from Paddington is expected to be opened between Shenfield and Paddington. The different segments of the project can be divided into the following: The management Crossraill West Crossraill Central Crossraill East Crossraill Surface Crossraill technical Work Breakdown Structure The Crossrail Project 1. Project initiation 1.1 Early stage planning 1.2 Project conception 1.3 Presentation and approval of the project by the government 1.4 Land use permit acquisition 1.5 Preparation of the initial designs 1.6 Approval of the designs 1.7 Preparation and presentation of the budget breakdown 1.8 Approval of the modalities of financing the project 2. Project phasing and planning on milestone completion 2.1 Preparation of the project phases and how they will be completed 2.2 Tunnelling 2.3 Station construction and related civil engineering works 2.4 Development of the network rail works 2.5 Construction of the railway systems 2.6 Construction of the railway depot 2.7 Commencement of service 2.8 Developing the timelines for the realizement of the above milestones/phases 3. Finalizing the design concepts 3.1 getting the approvals and getting ready for work 4. Project Execution 4.1 Project Kickoff Meeting 4.2 Amalgamation of the initial labor force 4.3 Getting the initial financing 4.4 Verify & Validate the initial planning and execution strategy 4.5 Procure the project requirement/initiate the acquisition process by informing the suppliers of the requirements and the due dates 5. Finishing of the different milestones 5.1 Detailed design and construction: 5.1.1 Tunneling phase 5.1.2 Station construction and civil works engineering phase 5.1.3 Network rail works 5.1.4 Railway systems 5.1.5 Trains and railway depot systems 6. Work sequencing 6.1 Heavy civil works 6.2 System integration program 7. Work sequencing 7.1 Heavy civil works 7.2 System integration program 8. Testing and commissioning of the Crossrail 8.1 Testing Phase 8.2 Training of the users and other stakeholders of the train 8.3 Installation of the add-on finishes such as electrical systems and other systems 9 Project Launch steps 9.1 Entry into passenger service between Liverpool Street, Main Line and Shenfield 9.2 Extension of the route between Paddington and Heathrow Airport 9.3 Extension of the route between Paddington and Abbey Wood 9.4 Extension of the route from Paddington and between Shenfield and Paddington. 9.5 Full service Each of the broad sections required specific expertise in order to accomplish the tasks. Budget and project financing As noted in the introduction of this paper, the Crossrail project is one of the most ambitious and most expensive in Europe and one of the most admired in the world (Palczynski, 2016). The expensiveness of this project is mainly drawn from the complexity of the project, the need to work within deadlines, the fact that it is being built beneath one of the most important cities in the world and the high level of technology that is put to use (Palczynski, 2016). At the inception of the project, the organizers saw that the project would cost an estimated £ 15.9 billion. Entity total (£ billion) Mayor of London 7.1 Government contribution- grant through the Department of Transport 4.7 London businesses 4.1 Total 15.9 Fig: the distribution of the sources of financing of the project It is important to note that the project was financed in a unique way, by incorporating revenue from different sources. The Business Rates Supplements As seen from the chart above, the Mayor of London contributed £7.1 billion through the Transport for London and through the Greater London Authority. The £7.1billion consists of £ 1.9 billion, a contribution from the Transport of London and other contributions raised through the Business Rate Supplement. A total of £ 4.1 billion is expected to be raised from the London businesses through the business rate supplement (London.gov.uk, 2016). The Mayor introduced a 2p levy that was subjected on non-domestic properties in the city that had a valuation exceeding £ 55,000 (Economist.com, 2013). Initial estimates show that slightly less than one in five of the city’s businesses are expected to pay for the Crossrail. In the given form, a given business that is rated at a value exceeding £ 100,000 is expected to contribute over £ 2,000 to the project using the 2p assessment. It is also estimated that by the end of the project, the London-based enterprises will have contributed over 60% to the project. This implies that the weight of financing the project is not left to the government in entirety (London.gov.uk, 2016). The government-private sector association in making the project fruitful also takes the form of other models of financing such as the use of fares and through an enhancement of land values. There have been budgetary adjustments as the project progressed which have also pushed up the costs of the project to an estimated £ 15.6 billion, effectively making it one of the most futuristic. Budget Estimates Below is a budget breakdown for a segment of the costs. From the above estimates, the deficit will be filled with contributions from third party entities such as Network Rail. Risks and Challenges The enormity of the size of the project and its general high profile implies that it is highly prone to risks. The project uses human-power from over 14,000 people and their coordination has to be done in a way that guarantees less harm to the project (Palczynski, 2016). There are a lot of infrastructure beneath the city of London which has to be done away with in a systematic manner. Tunnelling beneath the city thus poses a lot of risks. Of this infrastructure, some of them are very key. Working underground posed the main challenge to the workers. The enormity of the project implies that the organizers have to put in place measures to ensure that future risks are mitigated. Some of the measures that should be put in place include: Continuous auditing and assurance of the project Continuous working on achieving and implementing industry best practices Implementing fire safety measures Put in place business continuity measures Heritage The project result in massive movement of earth and other materials. The same has been used in the creation of a 1,500 acres natural park in Essex. This was a better way to ensure that the waste are put in a better use (Palczynski, 2016). Industry Best Practices The development of the project undertook to develop industry best practices best suited for the project. The teams have further sought to publicize their best practices for the use of the industry. The developing team sought to develop new best practices in railway development and operations. Can be viewed here: http://74f85f59f39b887b696f-ab656259048fb93837ecc0ecbcf0c557.r23.cf3.rackcdn.com/assets/library/document/b/original/best_practice_guide-_construction_railways_operations.pdf The developers further sought to implement the sprayed concrete lining exclusion zone management best practice which detailed how exclusion and restriction sites can be managed during the busy periods when work is in progress. Such zones include tunnel areas. It can be viewed here: http://74f85f59f39b887b696f-ab656259048fb93837ecc0ecbcf0c557.r23.cf3.rackcdn.com/assets/library/document/b/original/best_practice_guide_scl_ver2.pdf The project further raised the awareness of the possible impact of working with pressurized energy environments. The details can be seen here: http://74f85f59f39b887b696f-ab656259048fb93837ecc0ecbcf0c557.r23.cf3.rackcdn.com/assets/library/document/e/original/ea501hslmbestpracticeguidepressuresystems.pdf Lessons from the Crossrail From the complexity aspect of the project and its perfect execution, there are many critical lessons that can be derived from the Crossrail Project: There is a strong correlation between the way a project is governed and its success. The project is one of the biggest in Europe. The role of Crossrail Limited, the entity tasked with handling the project, cannot be underestimated (Palczynski, 2016). Critical to the success of the venture is the arrangement to have the entity make all the core decisions pertaining to the project on behalf of the government, the funders and all other stakeholders. Inculcating sustainability governance in crucial in the modern project management. The project has been cited to have inculcated environmentally sound policies that reduced the environmental impacts of the project. The project has been characterized by the use of environmentally sound best practices. Effective stakeholder relations. The project engaged all its stakeholders, from the funders to the control agencies and the workers thus enabling the swift delivery of the project. Coordination and sticking to the plan- the project set timelines and has strived to keep within the said timelines despite the complexity of the works. Demonstrated competencies The crossrail has demonstrated the following competencies Good project governance Swift integration with the supply chain Good relations with the stakeholders. Work division and execution, leading to apt delivery of the different segments of the project. Inculcation of environmental sustainability and best practices which in turn lead to less harm to the environment despite the complexity of the project. Conclusion The Crossrail project will go down in history as one of the most outstanding of the present times in Europe and beyond. There are many lessons that are derived from the project as discussed above from the project conception, the execution, the human resource practices, the financing and budgeting for the project among other things (Palczynski, 2016). The risks that the workers are exposed to as a result of the project and how the company has sought to address them are another key area. References Al-Hudhaif, I. (2015). Project Management PRISM. Slideshare.net. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from http://www.slideshare.net/ihudhaif/1600-lateef- dalyaresprojectmanagementaresprism Funding. (2017). Crossrail. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from http://www.crossrail.co.uk/about- us/funding Funding and financing options for Crossrail 2. (2014). Transport for London. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press- releases/2014/november/funding-and-financing-options-for-crossrail-2 MacLennan, P. (2015). Key milestones for Crossrail project during 2016. Crossrail. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/key-milestones-for- crossrail-project-during-2016 Not so boring How other infrastructure projects can learn from London’s new railway. (2013). Economist.com. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21590566-how-other-infrastructure-projects-can-learn-londons-new-railway-not-so-boring Palczynski, R. (2016). Work Breakdown Structure - Crossrail Learning Legacy. Crossrail Learning Legacy. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from http://learninglegacy.crossrail.co.uk/documents/work-breakdown-structure/ Paying for Crossrail: business rate supplement | London City Hall. (2016). London.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 January 2017, from https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/business-and-economy/promoting-london/paying-crossrail-business-rate-supplement Read More

Background of the Project The idea behind the Crossraill project is not a new one. The city of London has for many years envisaged tunnels of railway systems. In 1914, George Dow, a renowned railway builder, proposed the concept of underground railway tunnels crisscrossing the central business district in London and connecting the different lines such as the Liverpool Street main station (Appiah, 2015). The city on London, in 1934, developed the County of London Plan which laid the ground for the great project.

The following year, Sir Patrick Abercrombie was one of the leaders who proposed the Great London Plan which further affirmed the idea of creation of a central railway system. Between 1944 and 1974, there was the evolution in planning and restructuring of the paths. The idea took several iterations in thought and ideation, from meetings and conferences, and research. The term ‘Crossraill’ came up in 1974 with the presentation of the London Rail Study Report that was prepared by the Department of Environment in conjunction with the Greater London Council.

The aim of the report prepared was to take a look into the future of the city, especially pertaining to the transport needs. The report took an audit of the future of the city and proposed a Strategic Plan for the city (MacLennan, 2015). The report was a culmination of the many efforts from the 1940s and it further consisted of plans for the establishment and extension of the then railway line. The report proposed the re-establishment of the Northern and Southern Tunnels which contributed to the overall network.

There have also been several aspects that have been done to improve the system over time. The system that was in place in 1974 was estimated to have improved the number of passengers using the transport about 14,000 passengers in the Northern Tunnel. The focus of developing the railway system had the connection to services such as the Heathrow Airport in place (MacLennan, 2015). Between 1974 and 2005, there was proposed and execution of several changes such as the Central London Rail Study, the East South Crossrail Project and the North South Crossrail project in 1989.

The Cross London Rail Link program advanced in 2001 which was a joint venture between the Department of Transport and the segment tasked with the development of the London Transport initiative. The 2004 Superlink proposal proposed the development of additional infrastructure to the city’s transport which are seen to be the precursor of the new system. The concept of Crossrail went through the British Parliament in 2005 and was passed soon thereafter. In 2oo7, the government secured funding for the project and it was set to flow (MacLennan, 2015).

The main route of the crossrail was determined in 2004. The initial concept was that the system would comprise of several trains carrying an estimated 1,100 people every 2.5 minutes. Significance of the Crossraill Network The new railway network, though expensive and complicated to put up would, in the long run, contribute immensely to the economy of the city, eliminate transport problems and effectively help to deal with the forecasted challenges in the transport domain in the city. By full completion in 2018, the proposed system is expected to boost the capacity of the network.

It would be able to support the regeneration of the infrastructure of the county (MacLennan, 2015). It would ease mobility in the city, support many households and lead to the creation of an estimated 200,000 new jobs. It is important to appreciate that the city of London is one of the most important global destinations. The city is growing exponentially and due to its strategic position as a leader in commerce and other aspects such as tourism, and hence the need to remain relevant. The city and the entire South East are growing too (MacLennan, 2015).

The city of London currently boasts of being home to an estimated 8.6 million people. It is expected to grow to about 10 million by 2030.

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