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London's delay-hit Crossrail scheme has been held up again and will not open until the "first half of 2022", the developer of the troubled multi-billion pound project has said. Even before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the budget-busting east-west line through the capital, stretching from Berkshire to Essex, had repeatedly missed deadlines since failing to meet the original target of December 2018. In March, Transport for London (TfL) said it was suspending building work at sites, including Crossrail , to limit the spread of COVID-19 . While construction has restarted, social distancing means a maximum of 2,000 people are now allowed on Crossrail sites, which is less than 50% of the staffing levels prior to the public health crisis. In a statement, Crossrail Limited, the company responsible for the project, said: "Delivery of the Elizabeth line is now in its complex final stages and is being completed at a time of great uncertainty due to the … [Read more...] about London’s Crossrail shunted by further delay as cost threatens to rise by £1.1bn

London's delay-hit Crossrail scheme is now expected to finally open next summer, the head of the troubled multi-billion pound project has said. The budget-busting east-west line across the capital has faced repeated hold-ups since missing the original target of December 2018. Earlier this week, the outgoing commissioner of Transport for London said it was expected to open in autumn 2021. But on Friday, Crossrail confirmed it planned to open the central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood in summer 2021. It is hoped that the entire 73-mile route, from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east, would be in operation by mid-2022. Advertisement Mark Wild, chief executive at Crossrail Ltd, said: "We have a comprehensive plan to complete the Elizabeth Line and the milestones we must hit during 2020, including the testing of the signalling and train systems and safety assurance, but there are no shortcuts to delivery … [Read more...] about Crossrail boss says trains will run through central London next summer

CAMPING chairs are not only useful for camping, but it's a great choice for the park, picnics, outdoor events and even the garden if you don’t want to leave patio furniture out all year round. Keep a couple in the storage cupboard and you’ll find yourself taking them out for all sorts of reasons. Generally, you get what you pay for with camping equipment – the more expensive designs tend to be sturdier and will last longer, though there’s no shame in buying budget chairs if you’re only going to be using them occasionally. On that, one important thing to consider before investing in camping chairs is where you’re going to store them, as some designs, though folding, still take up a fair amount of space. You’ll also need to think about how comfortable you want to be – many camping chairs sit lower to the ground than normal chairs so can be tricky to get out of, and some aren’t padded so can become uncomfortable after a while. Our round-up of portable camping chairs brings you … [Read more...] about The 13 best camping chairs you can buy in 2021

A 19-year-old who taught himself how to trade stocks after watching videos on YouTube says he has now turned his original £200 investment into a portfolio worth more than £200,000 in under a year. The stock market feels more accessible than ever to those on the outside, with information shared freely on social media and recent mainstream interest sparked by a Reddit movement that inflated the stock price of GameStop to fight back against wealthy hedge funds. But Adam Mlamali hasn't simply jumped on a trend hoping to make quick money by copying others; instead he's managed to reach a level of success few achieve through his own in-depth analysis and investing in causes he truly believes in. While still at school in Milton Keynes and studying for A-Levels in business studies and computer science, Adam set up an online store selling jewellery as his first business venture, and its success gave him confidence to explore other opportunities. Videos on YouTube breaking down the stock … [Read more...] about ‘I taught myself to trade stocks and now I’ve turned £200 into £200,000 at 19 years old’