Stay on top of the latest in transport and infrastructure. Here’s a recap of last month’s major contract awards.
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A JV between Vital Energi and Hemiko, operating as the Swan Partnership, have been appointed to deliver a £1bn low-carbon heat distribution system in central London.
The partnership will fund, build, and operate the South Westminster Area Network. This will include parts of the London Underground network (from Victoria to Temple station), the River Thames and the capital’s sewer network.
AECOM has been appointed to provide network design support.
Construction is expected to start in 2026.
Ofgem has given the green light to Eastern Green Link 1 – a new electricity superhighway along Britain’s east coast. A joint venture between National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Energy Networks will deliver the £2.5bn project.
This news comes as SP Energy Networks’ Branxton substation has been granted consent, enabling the connection of Eastern Green Link 1 and significant offshore wind generation.
Arup, in partnership with Ordnance Survey (OS), will provide technical and consulting services for the identification and development of heat network zones in England.
This work will be a part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Heat Network Zoning Consultancy Framework.
SP Energy Networks has selected 19 partners for its £5.4bn programme to modernise Scotland’s electricity grid infrastructure.
The 19 partners are: Adman, AmcoGiffen, Balfour Beatty, Cobra, Farrans, GE Vernova, George Leslie, I&H Brown, Keltbray, Kirby, Linxon, Luddon Construction, Morgan Sindall, Morrison Energy Services, Painhas Energy, PLPC, RJ McLeod, Siemens Energy, and Wood.
Find more information here.
Construction companies have been alerted to an opportunity to bid for £1.8bn of Great British Nuclear contracts. These will help prepare sites for the first small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power plants next year.
Contracts will be announced between February and July next year.
AtkinsRealis is leading a joint venture with partners Westinghouse Government Services and Jacobs Technology. They have been awarded a 10-year contract to operate and maintain US Department of Energy Nuclear Assets, worth $2.3 billion.
Find more information here.
United Utilities has announced its consultancy partners for its investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in the North West. Awaiting regulatory approval, the company has selected 13 firms to support its network modelling and specialist design frameworks.
AtkinsRealis, Jacobs, Stantec, Binnies, Mott MacDonald, RPS, and WSP will provide modelling expertise for infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, Aqua Consultants, GHD, Long O’Donnell Associates, Metis Consultants, Ove Arup & Partners and Systra will focus on specialist design development.
Anglian Water is seeking a £1 billion Programme Delivery Partner to support its £10 billion AMP8 plans for 2025-2030. The selected partner will integrate with Anglian Water’s team to oversee the extensive infrastructure aimed at improving water supply resilience, addressing climate challenges, and enhancing environmental outcomes.
Find more information here.
Scottish Water has launched bidding for an £800m framework to deliver its Ceramic Membrane Programme. The project focuses on innovative ceramic membrane treatment for high-quality drinking water and includes tasks such as MEICA, civil construction, and ceramic membrane product supply.
The framework will span from its 2025 award date to 2033, with options to extend.
Costain and WSP have been granted funding by Northumbrian Water to develop a new AI-powered platform to improve the efficiency and accuracy of data.
The two firms will develop a proof-of-concept for WISDOM (Wastewater Insights for Standardisation, Delivery, Operation and Maintenance). This is intended to reduce delivery times for Northumbrian Water’s capital projects during AMP8.
Jacobs has been appointed by Northern Ireland Water to their professional services framework. The framework will support Northern Ireland Water with the remainder of its business plan – a six-year investment programme that includes significant water and wastewater capital improvements across the region.
Jacobs’ scope of work covers feasibility, design and climate change management services.
The framework runs for an initial four-years, with the option to extend for an additional four.
Kent County Council is searching for a contractor for its new £2bn highways maintenance contract which is expected to last up to 21 years.
The council’s highway term maintenance services are currently delivered through an existing contract which expires on 30 April 2026.
Those wishing to submit expressions of interest have until the 25th of November. Find out more here.
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a $746 million (£575 million) contract by the Texas Department of Transportation to rebuilt part of the Interstate 35 though Austin in Texas.
They will reconstruct a four-kilometre section of the route on the south side of downtown Austin which on completion will provide eight general purpose lanes, a major new intersection and multiple upgraded access roads.
Main construction will commence in the first half of 2025, completion expected in 2033.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has awarded a contract to Mott MacDonald and Jacobs to design the first phase of a £2.5bn tram network. The initial phase includes two lines, the Leeds Line and the Bradford Line, aiming to deliver a modern mass transit system for the region.
The consortium will advance the concept design to completion, providing technical and professional support to enable construction to begin by 2028.
TII will be submitting a Railway Order (planning) application for Luas Finglas to An Bord Pleanála. The Luas Finglas extension would extend Luas northwards from Broombridge to the Finglas area.
The public can make submissions about the proposed light rail line to An Bord Pleanála from 22nd November 2024 to 20th January 2025.
A SYSTRA and Egis JV have been awarded a Single Party Framework Agreement to provide consultancy services to Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail).
The contract will facilitate comprehensive advisory support across various stages of infrastructure project development, reinforcing Iarnród Éireann’s long-term strategy for expanding and modernising Ireland’s rail network.
Turner and Townsend will supply services to projects under the framework as subcontractors.
Graham Group has been awarded the contract for the Detail Design and Build for the first phase of the Cardiff Crossrail. This follows the news that both the Welsh and UK Government will fund the project with £50m each.
Graham Group has been appointed under an Early Contractor Involvement contract.
The project has been divided into two delivery phases, phase 1a (Cardiff Central to Cardiff Bay Station) and phase 1b (Cardiff Bay Station to Pierhead Street).
Find out more about each phase here.
Transport for London has announced its intention to award the new Elizabeth line operator contract to GTS Rail Operations Limited, a joint venture between Go Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation. The contract will cover seven years with an option to extend for up to two additional years.
GTS Rail Operations Limited will take over from the existing operator, MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited, in May 2025.
TfL is seeking a delivery partner for a £175m project to develop purpose-built solar facilities as part of their plans to power the London Underground with renewable energy.
The tender is set up as a £175m single supplier framework agreement, allowing TfL, on behalf of London Underground, to negotiate individual projects through private/direct wire Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
The framework will run for an initial four years, with the potential to extend.
Network Rail have awarded a £22m contract to Morgan Sindall Infrastructure to renew and upgrade the roof of London Liverpool Street station.
The project’s completion is targeted for the end of 2026.
Network Rail has published a tender notice for nine construction and refurbishment projects across its regions worth an estimated total of £226m. The operator wishes to establish a property construction framework for the renovation of existing properties and the delivery of new facilities.
The framework could award contracts to up to 25 applicants. It would start next October and end in October 2030.
