CHRIS Grayling suffered fresh humiliation last night as watchdogs said the chaotic handling of Crossrail had cost taxpayers “billions”.
The National Audit Office (NAO) said there had been “clear damage” to public value because of changes to design, delivery schedules and an “unrealistic” commitment to delivering the cross-London service by December 2018.
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So far, the Government has been forced to pump in £2.8 billion of extra funding. The NAO said the 2018 target date forced bosses to run “multiple activities in parallel” – increasing risk.
Staff were laid off in the run up to the original deadline – but are now frantically being rehired because of a new delivery target of 2021.
NAO chief Amyas Morse said: “Throughout delivery Crossrail clung to the unrealistic view that it could complete the programme to the original timetable, which has had damaging consequences.
“There have been a number of choices made in the course of this project that have clearly damaged public value.”
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Mr Grayling took over as Transport Secretary in July 2016, when Theresa May became Prime Minister.
Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald said: “This is the latest withering assessment of the Department of Transport’s management of a major infrastructure project.
“It is abundantly clear to everyone that this country can no longer afford Chris Grayling.”
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