Last Major Crossrail Contract Awarded

Crossrail has announced the award of the last of its major contracts, bringing to an end one of the biggest procurement programmes the UK has ever seen. The Crossrail contract process has involved the award of in excess of 100 contracts covering an array of works, including tunneling, the construction of stations, and railway systems. © CrossrailThe final contract, relating to a maintenance facility at Plumstead, has been won by a Joint Venture comprising Alstom Transport (UK) Ltd, TSO S.A.S and Costain Limited. The facility will house staff and equipment dedicated to the maintenance and upkeep of tracks and other infrastructure in the Crossrail tunnels. The contract is worth around £26 million.

Jonathan Willcock, Managing Director Signalling and Infrastructure, Alstom UK & Ireland, said:

“The maintenance facility at Plumstead will be crucial in delivering the high standards needed on such a large-scale infrastructure project. It is the last of the major contracts for Crossrail and so it is particularly satisfying for ATC to have been awarded it. We are looking forward to working with Crossrail to deliver it successfully.”

Crossrail Contract Process

The procurement process for Crossrail has driven economic, environmental and social sustainability, as well as delivered a world-class railway, by way of its supply chain. For instance, Tier 1 contractors, have, as part of their contracts, been required to offer apprenticeships and jobs for previously unemployed people. They have also been required to re-use excavated material sustainably and ensure that HGVs delivering to sites are equipped with industry-leading safety measures.

Crossrail has encouraged small and medium firms, as well as industry giants, to bid for supply chain work. Events have been held up and down the country, with contracts advertised on the free procurement service CompeteFor. This has been done to maximise opportunities to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Because of these initiatives, 62% of companies in Crossrail’s supply chain are based outside London, and 63% are SMEs.

Crossrail’s Learning Legacy initiative has also provided information and key lessons to be shared with teams working on the development for High Speed 2 (HS2). This approach will be spread across other key UK infrastructure projects.

Simon Wright, Programme Director at Crossrail, said:

“The procurement of billions of pounds worth of work for the Crossrail programme has been a monumental exercise.

“We have used the procurement process as a way of ensuring world class standards in the construction of the new railway as well as value for money for the taxpayer. The contracts we’ve signed with our principle contractors have also set the future standard for major UK infrastructure projects, helping us to deliver more than 550 apprenticeships, reducing our impact on the environment and spreading the economic benefits of the project.”