Three in running for M25 junction upgrade

摘要

Bids have been submitted for a ￡99 million contract for work on a key junction of the M25 at Stanford-Le-Hope in Essex. Balfour Beatty, Costain and a joint venture between Ferrovial subsidiary Amey and Northern Irish outfit Lagan are amongst the groups to have sent in bids by the deadline of 16 September. Procurement of a contractor began at the start of this year with a round of prequalification and the Highways Agency has already recruited consultant Jacobs as employers' agent on the scheme. A successful contractor is expected to be named towards the end of next month, but a start on the main construction works is unlikely until the New Year. In the 2012 Autumn Statement, the government set aside funding of ￡150 million for the overall project, but this was contingent on construction starting by March 2015. The agency is also aiming to find 20 per cent of cost efficiency savings on the scheme, which will be built under a design and build contract.