One of the annoying aspects of the constant drip-feed of increased costs is it is never discussed just what are the items which are increasing, and/or missed out of previous costs. There is a considerable staff engaged on cost management who should be really explaining where this continually comes from, and was this not the whole justification for Jacobs to oversee the financial spend to completion? Bearing in mind that we were less than 6 months from supposed opening in 2018, three years ago, although the work may not have been completed presumably contracts had been agreed for it all by then.
Regarding east end peak loadings, those are going to be assymetric. In mornings the main westbound flow will be from the Shenfield branch, whereas eastbound it is to Canary Wharf/Abbey Wood. The opposite in the evenings. This may impact on the peak loads to/from Liverpool Street mainline. I can envisage that from inner Shenfield line stations it may not be possible to even board a through Crossrail train, whereas the one to Liverpool Street, especially if it is closely following, would have lighter loads. Conceptually, it's a poor service plan which has a significant proportion of the capacity terminating at the first central station rather than all serving most of them. There's no justification at all really in the morning peak for outward services from Liverpool Street main line, which may as well run ecs on the fast lines back to Gidea Park for another load.