The wealth of talent being assembled for the Crossrail project and the government's backing of it are welcome (8 August, page 9). This provides a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate construction best practice.

Presumably, I can rest assured, therefore, that the council planners fulfilled their duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations as designers, that the client has been made aware of its CDM duty and that a planning supervisor has been appointed as required "at or before the start of design work" to help ensure that the project's time, cost and quality constraints are met.

After all, CDM has been in force for more than nine years so there can be no doubt that the client has ensured that the project will be properly managed at all stages; that the structures will be constructed and maintained safely; and that enough time has been allowed for design, planning, preparation and construction work so that the entire project can be carried out without risk to health.

There can't be any doubt, can there?

Postscript

Brian Law, chief executive, Association of Planning Supervisors, via email.