10.12.18
New chair and deputy nominated for Crossrail amidst further delays
Tony Meggs has been nominated as the new chair of Crossrail, replacing Sir Terry Morgan as the head of the £15.4bn project.
The news comes at a turbulent day for the scheme, with TfL announcing a £1.4bn bailout and pushing back the launch date further, this time to 2020.
The London mayor and the transport secretary have today confirmed that Meggs has been nominated of the new chair, and that former MP Nick Raynsford has been nominated as deputy chair.
Meggs will step down from his role as CEO of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) to oversee the final stages of delivering the Crossrail project.
Commenting on his appointment, Meggs said: “It is a privilege to join the Crossrail team. My number one priority will be to work with the Board and Executive team to ensure this project is completed as soon and as safely as possible.
“The UK is renowned for its outstanding engineering and expertise in major projects and I'm confident that we will deliver a world class project that will benefit the country for generations to come.”
On top of his role at IPA, Meggs has held several leadership positions in the private sector including BP and more recently worked at the government’s major projects leadership academy.
The deputy chair nomination, Nick Raynsford, is a former MP and served as the minister for London on two occasions between 1997 and 2003.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “With London's population continuing to grow, our priority must be getting this monumental project completed as soon as possible, with Londoners enjoying all the benefits the Elizabeth Line will provide. This agreement means that, working with TfL and the Government, Crossrail's new leadership can get the job done.”