Crossrail programme organisation and management for delivering London’s Elizabeth line

Document type: Journal Publication
Author: Richard Palczynski FICE FAPM, Patrick ten Have, Simon Wright OBE FICE
Publication Date: 19/09/2017

  • Abstract

    The Crossrail Act for an east–west railway across London was given royal assent in 2008 and construction started on what will become the new Elizabeth line in 2009. This paper looks at how Crossrail Limited, the client delivery organisation, was assembled, how it evolved and what programme and project management practices it deployed.

    Its objectives were to deliver the project sponsors’ requirements and maintain industry-leading performance for health and safety, environmental and sustainability performance as well as cost and schedule management on one of the UK’s most eagerly awaited and most complex pieces of infrastructure.

  • Document Links

  • Authors
    Photo of Richard Palczynski

    Richard Palczynski FICE FAPM - Crossrail Ltd

    Richard joined Crossrail in June 2015 as Head of Programme Controls. Now, as Director of Programme Controls, his role is accountable for ensuring visibility and accuracy of programme performance data, and providing the Executive Leadership with the information they need in order to manage the programme and maintain their focus in the right areas.

    Throughout his career, Richard has collected a broad range of major programme experience across infrastructure projects such as the Fylde Coast Waste Water Programme, Jubilee Line Extension, Channel Tunnel Rail Link, West Coast Route Modernisation Programme and now Crossrail. Having previously worked for Bechtel, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Balfour Beatty, Mace and now Crossrail, he has a portfolio of different roles under his belt from design and construction management, commercial and project management to six sigma and project controls to name a few.

    In 2012 he was awarded his Fellowship with the Institution of Civil Engineers and in 2016 he was additionally awarded Fellowship by the Association for Project Management as well as by the Guild of Project Controls. He’s a Supervising Civil Engineer and enjoys skiing, triathlon, cycling and running.

     

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-palczynski-b428841

    Photo of Simon Wright

    Simon Wright OBE FICE - Crossrail Ltd

    Simon was appointed as Programme Director at Crossrail in July 2014 and succeeded Andrew Wolstenholme as Chief Executive in April 2018.

    He joined from Network Rail, Infrastructure Projects where he had been Project Development Director since March 2013.  Previously Simon was the Director of Venues and Infrastructure at the Olympic Delivery Authority having been appointed in August 2006 and was responsible for design and delivery of all infrastructure on the Olympic Park as well as the operations of the venues and Athletes Village throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    He graduated in civil engineering in 1976 from Birmingham University and joined Binnie and Partners where he worked on a number of water engineering and dam projects in Sri Lanka, Egypt, Sudan and UK. In 1984 he joined Mouchel where he ran the water division firstly in UK and then in Hong Kong. He set up a consultancy business for Mouchel in Thailand.

    In 1996 he left Hong Kong to join Arup’s Project Management business in UK and Europe which he ran from 2003 until he joined the ODA.

    He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was awarded an OBE for services to the construction industry in 2012.