Crossrail chief to quit for 'personal reasons'

The chief executive of Crossrail has quit even before the new trans-London rail service has begun its process of parliamentary approval.

Crossrail announced today that Norman Haste would be leaving this summer for " personal reasons".

The process of interviewing for a successor has yet to begin. While the 60-year-old construction industry veteran had not been expected to head Crossrail in the long term, he had been recruited three years ago to at least get the project on the statute book and give it the legal go-ahead.

Mr Haste's departure comes six months after the arrival of Adrian Montague as chairman of Crossrail.

Mr Montague has previously been a Treasury firefighter in the City, acting as chairman of Network Rail and British Energy - both companies saved from bankruptcy by Government intervention.

Mr Haste had originally been recruited to offer a steady and experienced hand in nursing the project through its parliamentary stages, as well as dealing with the technical challenge of construction. He said today: "The time is right to pass the baton onto a successor who will be able to carry the project on through approval stages and into construction."

It is hoped that Mr Haste will stay on at Crossrail until his successor has been identified.