At a glance
• TfL expects to exceed the £2.994bn budget for the Piccadilly line upgrade due to substantial and rising costs, particularly for modernising the ageing Northfields and Cockfosters depots
• The first of the 94 new air-conditioned, walk-through Piccadilly line trains is unlikely to enter service until late 2025, up to a year later than hoped
• To save money, TfL plans to “life-extend” the severely aged Northfields depot for up to 15 years instead of rebuilding it—though officials warn this may not offer good value—while fully upgrading Cockfosters depot as originally planned
Transport for London expects to blow its £3bn budget for the introduction of a new fleet of Piccadilly line trains, it can be revealed.
