Timeline of the troubled Crossrail project as the Elizabeth line opens

But now its finally completely and will officially be open on May 24 in perfect time to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. 

But before it opens, we thought we’d look back on the last 20 years and look at the project’s timeline. 

The new station for Crossrail. (PA)

Crossrail’s Elizabeth line full timeline:

– January 2002: Cross London Rail Links Ltd, a joint venture with the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL), is set up to develop plans for Crossrail.

– July 2004: The Government commits to introducing legislation to enable Crossrail to proceed.

– October 2007: Prime Minister Gordon Brown gives the green light for the project. It is expected to cost £15.9 billion and open in December 2017.

– May 2009: London Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis break ground on the project at Canary Wharf.

– October 2010: Crossrail’s budget is cut to £14.8 billion in the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government’s comprehensive spending review. Its opening date is pushed back 12 months to December 2018.

– January 2014: The National Audit Office says the scheme is “just behind schedule”, adding that Crossrail Ltd “remains confident” it will open on time.

– May 2015: Tunnel boring is completed as a tunnelling machine named Victoria arrives at Farringdon. Some 13 miles of new tunnels have been dug under London.

The drivers view. (PA)

– February 2016: The Queen visits Bond Street station and announces the railway will be named the Elizabeth line in her honour.

– July 2018: Rail minister Jo Johnson announces that Crossrail’s budget has risen to £15.4 billion as “cost pressures have increased across the project”.

– August 2018: Crossrail Ltd announces it will miss its December 2018 opening date but the central section…