It’s emerged that 140 train drivers are receiving salaries of more than £60,000 per year to drive trains on London’s new Crossrail line, despite it not opening for another year.

Financial paper City AM says the drivers’ union ASLEF has confirmed that they’re getting £62,533 a year, with a two per cent pay rise due in April.

Transport for London told the paper the drivers are needed in the run-up to trials which will take place next year to test for safety.

The news comes after the Government agreed to put another £825 million of taxpayers’ money into the scheme, which is due to open more than four years late.

Keith Prince, the London Assembly Conservative transport spokesman, criticised the figures saying, “There is simply no justification for employing 140 drivers at £62,000 each to operate a train service which is not only incomplete but nowhere near opening.”

Crossrail, formally known as the Elizabeth Line, will run east-west from Shenfield and Abbey Wood to Reading and Heathrow.

(Picture – Transport for London)