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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| HS2 and Crossrail chairman resigns | HS2 and Crossrail chairman resigns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The chairman of the Crossrail and HS2 rail programmes, two of Britain's biggest infrastructure projects, has resigned from both roles. | The chairman of the Crossrail and HS2 rail programmes, two of Britain's biggest infrastructure projects, has resigned from both roles. |
| Sir Terry Morgan, 70, has been involved in London's Crossrail project for the past decade and took up the HS2 role just four months ago. | Sir Terry Morgan, 70, has been involved in London's Crossrail project for the past decade and took up the HS2 role just four months ago. |
| He told the BBC this week there was disappointment at Westminster about the delays affecting Crossrail. | He told the BBC this week there was disappointment at Westminster about the delays affecting Crossrail. |
| The Elizabeth Line had been due to open in December 2018. | The Elizabeth Line had been due to open in December 2018. |
| However, it has been delayed until autumn 2019 to allow more time for testing. | However, it has been delayed until autumn 2019 to allow more time for testing. |
| Sir Terry said on Saturday that he expected to be told to go. | |
| "My expectation is that I will be asked to resign, and in the interests of both great programmes, that is what I will do," he told the BBC on Monday. | "My expectation is that I will be asked to resign, and in the interests of both great programmes, that is what I will do," he told the BBC on Monday. |
| He said the Crossrail programme had been put back partly because of delays in ordering the trains, which was ultimately the responsibility of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. | He said the Crossrail programme had been put back partly because of delays in ordering the trains, which was ultimately the responsibility of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. |
| Mr Khan said: "Not only was I angry when Crossrail informed us that the project would be delayed, but historically there has been a lack of adequate information shared by the senior Crossrail leadership with the project's joint sponsors - namely, the Department for Transport and Transport for London." | Mr Khan said: "Not only was I angry when Crossrail informed us that the project would be delayed, but historically there has been a lack of adequate information shared by the senior Crossrail leadership with the project's joint sponsors - namely, the Department for Transport and Transport for London." |
| The project's budget was increased from £14.8bn to £15.4bn in July due to "cost pressures", and in October the Mayor of London was offered £350m of additional government funding. | |
| Allan Cook has been appointed as the new chair of HS2, and a Crossrail successor will be announced, the Department for Transport said. | Allan Cook has been appointed as the new chair of HS2, and a Crossrail successor will be announced, the Department for Transport said. |
| HS2, the government's planned £55bn high-speed rail network, promises to cut journey times from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds when up and running. | HS2, the government's planned £55bn high-speed rail network, promises to cut journey times from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds when up and running. |
| But there has been criticism of the project in terms of how much it is expected to cost, and its impact on the environment. | |
| Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Sir Terry has been an integral part of Crossrail for almost a decade and I would like to thank him for his dedication and the expertise he brought to the role. I am also grateful to him for his work as chair of HS2." |