Bechtel selected to manage Crossrail development

A Chartered Institute of Building [CIOB] product story

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Jan 6, 2006

Bechtel leads development team to produce reference design for building Crossrail.

Bechtel has been selected to manage development of Crossrail.

The company's civil business unit is to work with Cross London Rail Links (CLRL), the joint venture between Transport for London and the Department for Transport.

Bechtel will manage a team of design and cost consultants commissioned to produce a reference design for construction of the line, powers for which are being sought in a hybrid Bill now before Parliament.

CLRL officials said that Bechtel was chosen from six finalists following a rigorous selection and procurement process which included notification in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Keith Berryman, acting chief executive with CLRL, spoke of Bechtel as an internationally renowned company with direct experience in schemes of this stature and a reputation for delivery.

Mike Adams, president of Bechtel's civil business unit, said they were looking forward to using their experience in delivering major rail infrastructure projects in the UK and ensure the final Crossrail scheme is one of which London can be proud.

Bechtel's appointment is another step in the coordinated plan to bring the railway project to fruition and part of the usual process with a large infrastructure project.

Further advisor appointments are to be made during the year.

This work will run concurrently with examination of the Crossrail Bill by the recently appointed Select Committee of the House of Commons.

They have a daunting task ahead of them, with 358 petitions submitted against the proposals in the Bill.

Not all of them raise major issues but if the Government does not modify its attitude to compulsory acquisition of high-value sites in the heart of London it is likely that the Parliamentary battle will be long and hard fought.