Lee Tunnel deal awarded after six-month wait

摘要

The long-running battle for Thames Water's Lee Tunnel contract finally ended in the run-up to Christmas with a Morgan Est/ Vinci/Bachy Soletanche joint venture scooping the ￡417 million job.rnA joint venture between Murphy and Hochtief lost out at the final stage on the deal, billed as the biggest construction contract let by the UK water industry since privatisation 20 years ago.rnThe contract was earmarked for award in June 2009, but therndecision was pushed back first to September and then December.rnThe extended procurement process is thought to have taken its toll on both of the final bidders.rnBid costs are rumoured to have exceeded ￡l.5m, and the delays to the award have been cited by some as a factor in reduMorgan Est making redundancies in its tunnelling division.