Network Rail CEO Mark Carne announced that the cost of Great Western Line electrification, betwen London and Cardiff, could reach £2.8 billion (EUR 3.8 billion), an increase from the previous estimates-in January 2013, £874 million (EUR 1.19 billion) and in September 2014, £1.6 billion (EUR 2.18 billion).
Carne told MPs that the latest figure is £2.5-2.8 billion, based on 2012 prices.
Accordig to Carne, one of the reasons for the cost increase was that Network Rail has not carried out significant electrification work for 20 years and its cost base was “out of date”, while another issue was “inadequate planning and scope definition of the project in the early stages”.
According to the inital schedule, the electrification between London and Bristol, including Newbury and Oxford should be delivered by 2016 and to Cardiff by 2017.
“It is clearly highly likely that there will be delays against that schedule and I’m afraid I’m not in a position at the moment to give you a new schedule,” Department for Transport Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam said.
Photo: Network Rail
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