The Farringdon Elizabeth line station has been officially handed over to Transport for London.
It is the first central London station to be formally transferred to TfL ahead of five others including Tottenham Court Road and Paddington stations.
The handover process began 12 weeks ago in December 2020.
Stations like Farringdon must go through trial operations as part of final testing before being opened to the public.
These tests ensure the safety and reliability of the station for public use and can include mock station and train evacuations.
Kim Kapur, London Underground’s head of station integration, said: “This is a great achievement by both the Crossrail and London Underground teams.
“Farringdon is the first London Underground Elizabeth line interface station to transfer, and my team will now be able to begin key readiness activities ahead of trial operations and ultimately opening this amazing station for passenger use.”
Alastair Moss, chair of the planning and transportation committee at the City of London Corporation, said: “The handover of Farringdon station to TfL is an important step forward in the roll-out of the long-awaited Elizabeth line.
“It is clear that world-class transportation options for London’s residents, workers and visitors will play a vital role in the capital’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.”
Planned to cost a total of £14.8 billion, Crossrail’s budget has ballooned by £3.9 billion, bringing the estimated cost to £18.7 billion as of 2020.
Originally planned to open in 2018, the project has been delayed several times. However, the final central section of the line is set to open in 2022.
The opening of the Elizabeth line at Farringdon will add up to 24 additional trains per hour. The station already sees frequent Thameslink and London Underground services.
Trains to Heathrow Airport will serve the station when the line is fully open, after an initial introductory period. The whole route extends from Reading to Shenfield.
When the line officially opens in 2022, Farringdon station will become one of the busiest in the UK.
Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s executive member for environment and transport, said: “We are determined to create a greener, healthier Islington that is capable of achieving net-zero carbon status by 2030, where local people can travel safely and easily.
“The connection of Farringdon station to the Elizabeth line will help to achieve this, making the area one of the best-connected places in London and helping people to travel in an environmentally-friendly way.”
